Roche have announced that Chugai their partner company now have approval from Japanese authorities for the use of its innovative arthritis treatment drug, Actemra (tocilizumab) for rheumatoid arthritis and also for juvenile idiopathic arthritis and systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis which affect children.

The Japanese approval is based on data from clinical trials conducted in that country showing that Actemra was highly effective in controlling the symptoms and progression of this disease. Actemra is already being sold in Japan for patients with a rare auto-immume condition known as Castleman’s disease and licence applications have also been filed for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the USA and the European Union during 2007.

Actemra is a humanized interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor-inhibiting monoclonal antibody, and is the first of a new class of drug with a novel mechanism of action that brings new hope to rheumatoid arthritis sufferers. The drug works by suppressing the activity of IL-6, an important trigger of the inflammatory process and so reduces inflammation of the joints and relieves the systemic effects of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive autoimmune disease which causes inflammation of the membrane lining in the joints. The inflammation causes swelling of the joints and reduced functionalityas well as stiffness and swelling and significan pain. Prolonged suffering leads to irreversible disability from joint destruction. Other systemic symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include anaemia, osteoporosis, fatigue, and usually shortened life expectancy.

Within 10 years, over 50% of effected people can no longer work or function with a normal daily routine. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is considered a very severe disease with unknown cause associated with symptoms in joints occurring in children aged below sixteen. Patients have many similarities to rheumatoid arthritis accompanied by systemic symptoms, like remittent fever.

 For further information about Actemra contact Roche Group or Chugai: chugai-pharm.co.jp