All News
FDA Approves Stelara for Crohn's Colitis
The anti-IL-12/IL-23 inhibitor, Stelara (ustekinumab) has been FDA approved for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. In the last week, the EMA's CHMP has recommended that the drug also be approved for use in Crohn's disease.
Read Article
Restricting High Price Drugs - A Dangerous Trend?
Who makes billions in profits and millions in bonus monies? PBMs and insurers, thats who.
This week United Healthcare and Express Scripts announced new plans to restrict patient and prescriber access to popular, expensive, albeit FDA-approved, medications and biologics.
Who benefits, who loses?
After the 1st TNF Inhibitor, a Non-TNF Biologic is Next Best
Most US rheumatologists use multiple TNF inhibitors before switching. A new French study suggests that "other-MOA", non-TNF biologics are more effective after failing a TNF inhibitor.
Read ArticleRheumNow Week in Review – 16 September 2016
A review of this week's news including the cost of opioid abuse, a RTX biosimilar, a new drug for scleroderma, a new shingles vaccine and a CPAP disappointment.
Read Article
New Shingles Vaccine Effective for up to Four Years
In the current issue of the NEJM, a Herpes zoster subunit vaccine was reported to be highly effective in adults - specifically in 2 studies (ZOE50 and ZOE70) targeting adults over age 50 and over age 70 years. (Citation source: http://buff.ly/2cMng17)
Read Article
DSB Reports and Updates - September 2016
Updates and journal articles on opioids, drug induced sarcoidosis, cancer and cancer recurrence risks with TNF inhibitors and biologics, and FDA labeling changes.
Read Article
Adalimumab Lowers Risk of Uveitis Flares in Visual I Study
Rheumatologists may encounter patients with intermediate, posterior and pan-uveitis as part of certain rheumatic diseases such as Behcet’s, but more frequently may be called on to co-manage these patients with steroid sparing agents.
Read Article
The RheumNow Week in Review – 9 September 2016
Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from the past week on RheumNow.com, including IBD/TNFi and cancer risk, fracture nonunion, PMR worse in women, not treating asymptomatic hyperuricemia, and shingles followed by stroke.
Read Article
Shingles Plus Autoimmune Disease Hikes Stroke Risk
Patients with autoimmune inflammatory diseases who develop herpes zoster are at increased risk of stroke for the subsequent 3 months, with risks diminishing thereafter, analysis of Medicare data showed.
Read Article
Is Biologic Safety Different in the Elderly?
The factors that influence the safety of biologic therapy are numerous. Amongst them, increasing age is a potential risk factor, moreso if you also consider the polypharmacy, comorbidities and longer disease duration inherent in an elderly group of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
Read Article
RheumNow Week in Review – 2 September 2016
Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from this week in RheumNow:
Read Article
Cost of Osteoporosis Care in the USA
The 2010 NHANES study suggests that the overall prevalence of osteoporosis (OP) in the USA is ~10% or 10.2 million older adults (> 50 yrs) had osteoporosis.
Read Article
Another Biosimilar Approval - Etanercep-szzs by Novartis
Yesterday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new biosimilar, Erelzi, (etanercept-szzs), for the same multipile indications as the originator Enbrel, including rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, Erelzi, will be generically labelled as etanercept-szzs.
Read Article
RheumNow Week in Review – 26 August 2016
Dr. Jack Cush reviews news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Read Article
Prior Cancer Patients May Safely Receive TNF Inhibitors or Rituximab
Current guidelines regarding the use of biologics in patients who have previously had a malignancy are based more on opinion than evidence.
Read Article
Adalimumab Controls Non-Infectious Uveitis in VISUAL II Study
It has long been observed that patients receiving monoclonal antibody based anti-TNF (TNFi) therapies for spondylitis or psoriatic disease have less inflammatory eye complications, such as uveitis. These agents have become common interventions based on these observational results.
Read Article
Risk of Sepsis or Death Lower with Biologics in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Researchers from Germany have analyzed their large prospective rheumatoid arthritis (RA) registry to address whether being on biologic therapies leads to poorer outcomes - namely sepsis or death, following a serious infection (SIE).
Read Article
RheumNow Week in Review – 19 August 2016
Dr. Cush reviews the RheumNow.com highlights in rheumatology for the week ending 19 August 2016.
Read Article
ARCTIC Study Shows No Benefit to Ultrasound Remission in RA
The goal in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment is remission. But what level or method of remission is best?
Read Article
Remicade Patent Infringements Denied: Opens Door for New Biosimilars
A U.S. court has affirmed its decision that the patent for Johnson & Johnson's drug Remicade is invalid. This new ruling favors the intent of Celltrion and Pfizer, who are seeking to bring their biosimilar versions of infliximab to market in the near future.
Read Article