Stelara OK’d For Psoriatic Arthritis

WebMD Health News By Kathleen Doheny Reviewed by Arefa Cassoobhoy, MD, MPH Oct. 4, 2013 — Stelara, an injectable drug already approved to treat psoriasis, is now also approved to treat psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease. The immune system attacks healthy skin cells and joints, causing inflammation. Of the 7.5 million people with psoriasis, about 10%-30% get psoriatic arthritis. What Is Stelara? Stelara works differently from other medications that treat psoriatic arthritis, says Alice Gottlieb, MD, PhD, of Tufts Medical Center. She was the lead researcher on recent Stelara studies. The drug targets two proteins believed to play a role in psoriatic arthritis. Gottlieb says it “acts like a microscopic sponge to sop up molecules that cause inflammation that lead to psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.” Stelara: Dosage, Studies In the studies, 927 patients who had at least five tender and swollen joints, as well as other criteria, received Stelara injections. Some received a 45-milligram dose, while others received 90 milligrams. By week 24, about 44% to 50% of those getting the higher dose had at least a 20% improvement in signs and symptoms. In some cases, the improvement lasted a year after treatment started. Side effects include ”a slightly increased risk of infections,” Gottlieb says. According to drugmaker Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Stelara may lower the ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis and other in...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: WebMD News Source Type: news