http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=9492

Humira? (Adalimumab) Improved Symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing
Spondylitis
Preliminary data from two studies showing encouraging results in treating
psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis with HUMIRA? (adalimumab) 40
mg every other week were presented today at the European League Against
Rheumatism (EULAR) annual congress in Berlin. Patients with psoriatic
arthritis responded to HUMIRA treatment as early as two weeks after the
initial dose showing significant improvement in both the signs and symptoms
of the joint disease and skin manifestations with continued improvements at
12 weeks.

Analysis of a separate 12-week study shows that HUMIRA significantly
improves spinal symptoms in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis
after only one dose.

"The findings of these two studies are significant because they validate our
research to assess HUMIRA's potential to treat other autoimmune diseases in
addition to rheumatoid arthritis," said James B. Lefkowith, M.D., divisional
vice president, development, Abbott Immunology.

HUMIRA IMPROVED SYMPTOMS OF ACTIVE ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS

To examine the potential therapeutic effects of HUMIRA in patients with
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-refractory ankylosing
spondylitis (i.e. patients not readily responding to NSAID therapy),
researchers studied 10 patients over a 12-week period that received HUMIRA
40 mg every other week. In this open label study, all 10 patients suffered
from spinal pain.

HUMIRA treatment induced a positive response in patients after the first
dose, with further improvement at the end of the initial 12-week therapy, as
measured by Assessment of Ankylosing Spondylitis (ASAS) criteria. ASAS
evaluates four primary categories: function, pain, patient's global
assessment and inflammation. Scores of ASAS20, ASAS40 and ASAS70 indicate
corresponding symptom improvement percentages in at least three of the
evaluation categories with no worsening in the remaining category.

The majority of patients in the trial experienced improvement in their
symptoms with 70 percent achieving a score of ASAS20, 50 percent reached
ASAS40 and 20 percent attained ASAS70.

Also at week 12, 50 percent of the patients experienced 50 percent or
greater improvement in scores according to the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis
Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), a patient-assessed composite index of
disease activity measuring pain, stiffness and fatigue.

HUMIRA was well tolerated by patients in the study and no serious infections
occurred during the study.