BioCentury
ARTICLE | Tools & Techniques

Still hard to compare Remicade, Enbrel

June 14, 1999 7:00 AM UTC

The presentation of Centocor Inc.'s 54-week data for its Remicade infliximab to treat advanced rheumatoid arthritis provides the first chance to compare long-term data for the anti-tumor necrosis factor antibody against Immunex Corp.'s Enbrel etanercept soluble TNF receptor.

Based on available one-year data, a greater percentage of patients receiving Enbrel had reductions in the number of tender and swollen joint counts than for Remicade (see chart). But Harlan Weisman, vice president of clinical research at CNTO, noted that IMNX's open label data only includes patients who responded to therapy, whereas CNTO's study was double-blind and placebo-controlled. "If you look at a responders-only analysis, your data will always look better," he said...