Roche have filed licence applications for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the USA and the European Union with their innovative arthritis treatment drug, Actemra (tocilizumab).

The product is already available in Japan for patients with a rare auto-immume condition known as Castleman’s disease and following sucessfull clinical trials has now been approved for treatment there of rheumatoid arthritis and also for juvenile idiopathic arthritis and systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis which affect children.

Actemra is the first of a new class of drug with a novel mechanism of action that brings new hope to rheumatoid arthritis sufferers. The drug works by suppressing the activity of IL-6, an important trigger of the inflammatory process and thereby reducing inflammation of the affected joints and relieves the systemic effects of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive autoimmune disease. The inflammation causes swelling of the joints and reduced functionalityas well as stiffness and swelling and significan pain and causes inflammation of the membrane lining in the joints. The condition eventually leads to irreversible disability from joint degradation. Other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include anaemia, osteoporosis, shortened life expectancy and also general fatigue. around 50% of effected patients can no longer work or function properly after 10 years.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a severe disease with unknown cause associated with symptoms in joints occurring in young children. Patients have many similarities to rheumatoid arthritis accompanied by fever.

For further information about the Actemra product contact Roche Group