Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Rheumatoid Arthritis, including details on treatment, symptoms, causes, medication.

Interleukin-6: a new therapeutic target.

Smolen JS, Maini RN

Division of Rheumatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. josef.smolen@wienkav.at

The therapeutic success of biological agents, especially the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, has opened a new chapter in the book of therapies for rheumatoid arthritis. Nevertheless, more than 50% of patients may not respond by > 50% improvement. New compounds have recently entered the treatment arena. One of these is rituximab, which depletes B cells, and another, abatacept, interferes with T-cell co-stimulation. However, although these agents may be effective in a number of patients who fail to respond to TNF blockade, they only rarely induce remission and overall 50% response rates do not exceed those with the TNF inhibitors. Among the major proinflammatory cytokines, IL-6 plays a pleiotropic role both in terms of activating the inflammatory response and osteoclastogenesis. Here, we review recent phase II trials of tocilizumab, a humanized anti-IL-6 receptor antibody that achieves a significant therapeutic response rate.

Published 10 August 2006 in Arthritis Res Ther, 8: S5.
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