Bristol says two year data shows efficacy of arthritis drug

Orencia is for patients who have had an inadequate response to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs such as methotrexate and TNF antagonists.

The data also demonstrate that Orencia provided clinically meaningful improvements in multiple aspects of health-related quality of life and physical function, sustained improvements in pain and had a consistent safety and tolerability profile through two years of treatment.

“These data are encouraging and add to the body of evidence demonstrating that Orencia is an effective option providing durable response for patients who have not benefited fully from previous treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs,” said Mark Genovese, associate professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.

“Given that rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease, long-term data such as these are important and offer physicians additional insight to help them make the most appropriate treatment decisions for their patients.”