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news.Amgen and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals have reported that data from a trial of Enbrel plus methotrexate has showed that 50% of patients with active early rheumatoid arthritis achieved clinical remission in one year. In contrast, 28% of patients who were treated with methotrexate alone achieved clinical remission.
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Results from the COMET (combination of Mmthotrexate and etanercept in active early rheumatoid arthritis) trial will be presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) scientific meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.
COMET marks the first major rheumatoid arthritis (RA) clinical trial with Enbrel to use clinical remission as a primary endpoint, as measured by disease activity score (DAS28 < 2.6). DAS28 is a measure of joint swelling and tenderness (based on 28 joints), as well as overall disease activity measured by a global health assessment and an objective marker of inflammation (erythrocyte sedimentation rate). There were no differences in rates of serious infections or malignancies among patients in the Enbrel plus methotrexate group compared with the methotrexate-only group. Paul Emery, professor of rheumatology, University of Leeds, said: "Clinical remission, as measured by DAS28, is an important goal in clinical practice, and is perhaps the most relevant to patients' daily lives as they struggle with their symptoms. We hope that both patients and physicians are encouraged by these findings as they set a new standard for earlier treatment of RA."