The abilities of golimumab in the therapy of ankylosing spondylitis

Abstract

The paper summarizes the data of the GO-RAISE trial evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of golimumab (GLM) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The trial was launched in 57 clinical centers of North America, Europe, and Asia in 2005. It enrolled 356 patients with high AS activity (BASDAI≥4) in whom previous and current therapies with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs were ineffective. Group 1 patients received subcutaneous placebo; Group 2 had subcutaneous GLM 50 mg; Group 3 took GLM 100 mg every 4 weeks. Concomitant therapy with methotrexate, sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine, glucocorticoids, and NSAIDs was continued in previous doses. The investigators have concluded that GLM therapy in patients with AS gives rise to a rapid clinical and radiographic response that persists for a long time. Although no comparative trials of GLM versus other tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors used to treat AS have conducted, the available data show that its efficacy and tolerability in these patients are similar to those of the TNF-α inhibitors already used in Russia. The GLM dose of 100 mg is noted to be worse tolerated than that of 50 mg with their practically equal clinical efficacy. The standard dose of GLM is 50 mg subcutaneously administered once monthly for all indications, including also for AS.