Disease-Specific Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis and other Chronic Arthritic Conditions

Abstract

Despite recent advances in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including the introduction of biologic therapies and employment of combination diseasemodifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) strategies, remission rates remain suboptimal and patients with RA are still missing a significant number of work days. Early diagnostic criteria are needed to ensure that appropriate treatment is initiated early to prevent joint damage. Better prognostic markers are also needed to identify patients with the potential for poor outcomes, in whom more aggressive strategies can be applied at the outset. Because of stringent inclusion criteria and heterogeneous definitions of remission, results seen in clinical trials of RA are not necessarily generalizable to results seen in clinical practice. As a result, existing guidelines may not adequately reflect current practice. In the absence of biomarkers to predict the course of disease, methotrexate remains the standard of care initially for most patients with RA. The ability to predict the course of disease could allow more appropriately targeted therapy and higher rates of remission [1]. It is clear that there is a current unmet medical need for a novel diagnostic kit which will diagnose more accurately and earlier, the presence of chronic arthritic conditions. Two biomarkers, expressed during early stages of the establishment of the inflammatory conditions, discovered by us; galectin and CD44 proteins, has a potential to provide the missing tools for development of robust diagnostic and prognostic assays that will guide treatment choices and leading to improved patient care. The clinical and business advantages of such novel diagnostic kit are huge, especially for the benefit of the RA patients.