New drug offers hope to rheumatoid arthritis sufferers

NICE is giving more hope for adults living with severe active rheumatoid arthritis as a new drug, Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) is approved for use as a treatment option.

This new NHS treatment option, together with its Patient Access Scheme is available for eligible patients living in England and Wales if it is prescribed in accordance with NICE clinical guidance for RA. It is the first RA treatment to be approved by NICE in more than two years.

The new drug is licensed for use in combination with methotrexate (MTX), for the treatment of moderate to severe, active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adult patients when the response to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) including methotrexate, has been inadequate. Cimzia can be given as monotherapy in case of intolerance to methotrexate or when continued treatment with methotrexate is inappropriate.

In clinical studies, the UCB drug demonstrated rapid treatment efficacy with significant results as early as the first week of treatment4,5, and the majority of patients responding to treatment within the first 12 weeks6,1.  As such, in a progressive move, UCB, the manufacturer of the drug, has worked with the Department of Health to agree a patient access scheme to ensure that treatment decisions are based on patient need rather than cost. 

As part of the approval issued by NICE, UCB will make the new drug available free of charge for the first 12 weeks of treatment to eligible patients.

An estimated 580,000 of adults live with RA, a debilitating, chronic disease in England alone – approximately 15 percent of the RA population in England and Wales have severe disease - which causes joint inflammation and which can lead to long-term joint damage, resulting in pain, disability and disfigurement.  Women are two to three times more likely to suffer from RA than men and the disease can strike people in the prime of their lives between the ages of 30-509.

The new treatment is available in an innovative pre-filled syringe, and its award winning packaging has been designed with U.S. consumer products company OXO, maker of Good Grips, in consultation with RA patients, taking into account the challenges faced when self-injecting medication, as painful or inflamed joints can limit dexterity.

Ailsa Bosworth, Chief Executive of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, comments: "This is the first time a new RA treatment has been approved by NICE in over two years – and could make a big difference to patients’ day to day lives.”

“Certolizumab pegol is an important new treatment option for people with rheumatoid arthritis, and it’s exciting that it is now available on the NHS ,” commented Professor Peter Taylor, investigator and Professor in Experimental Rheumatology, Imperial College London NHS Trust.

“Certolizumab pegol has been shown to rapidly improve patients’ symptoms and to significantly reduce the rate of progression of joint damage associated with rheumatoid arthritis*. This fast and lasting effect is important as it quickly improves function, reduces work disability and leads to a better quality of life for patients.”

* Compared to placebo plus MTX treatment in RA patients with an incomplete response to MTX in clinical trials.