Biologic therapies in rheumatic diseases: drug and anti-drug antibody levels and clinical efficacy

Andrea Palagi,Cristina Bernardoni,Daniela Bertolucci,Elena Bonomi,Francesca De Giorgio,Gianluigi Occhipinti,Giancarlo Tartarelli,Gloria Bertacca,Isabella Giannelli,Marco Friggeri,Riccardo Cecchetti,Stefania Lombardi

doi:10.7243/2054-989x-4-1

Abstract

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relevance of drug and anti-drug antibody detection in the clinical management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthropaties (SpA) in

Highlights

ADA, ETN and IFX, all TNFα blockers, represent an important therapeutic aid for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and SpA patients
Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relevance of drug and anti-drug antibody detection in the clinical management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthropaties (SpA) in treatment with anti- tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) biologics
Low drug levels were found in 19% of the rheumatic patients and there were not correlations with presence of anti-drug Ab or patient’s clinical status

Summary

Introduction

ADA, ETN and IFX, all TNFα blockers, represent an important therapeutic aid for RA and SpA patients. It has been shown that serum levels of ADA, ETN and IFX correlate with the clinical response in RA, while in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) data are controversial [1-4]. Detectable anti-drug Ab decrease TNFα blockers response by as much as 80% [22]. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relevance of drug and anti-drug antibody detection in the clinical management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthropaties (SpA) in treatment with anti- tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) biologics

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion