BioCentury
ARTICLE | Clinical News

Immunex reports long-term Enbrel data

June 15, 2001 7:00 AM UTC

IMNX reported data from three long-term studies of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients given Enbrel etanercept, a recombinant p75 TNF receptor linked to the Fc portion of human IgGI (TNFr:Fc) marketed to treat rheumatoid arthritis. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 632 patients, 72% of Enbrel patients achieved an ACR20, a measure of functional ability, compared to 59% of patients given methotrexate. Moreover, 70% of Enbrel patients had no new joint erosions at two years compared to 58% of methotrexate patients.

Data from an open-label study following 1,338 Enbrel patients for 1-4 years showed 24% of patients had zero swollen joints, 28% of patients had zero tender joints, 21% had disability scores of zero, 74% of patients achieved an ACR 20, 49% of patients achieved an ACR 50, and 26% achieved an ACR 70. ...