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Arthritis drug receives NICE approval
22-Aug-07
NICE has issued final guidance on the use of rituximab (Mabthera) approving it for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
The guidance states that rituximab in combination with methotrexate is recommended as a treatment option for adults with severe active RA who do not respond to anti-rheumatic drugs.
Treatment with rituximab plus methotrexate should be continued only if there is an adequate response following initiation of therapy.
NICE also recommends adalimumab (Humira) as a treatment option for adults with active and progressive psoriatic arthritis who have peripheral arthritis with three or more tender joints.
Neil Betteridge, chief executive of Arthritis Care, described the decision as 'a triumph.'
'This decision shows that NICE understands the benefit of expanding the range of choices for individuals who have exhausted other options,' he said.
Guidance is available from www.nice.org.uk/TA125 and www.nice.org.uk/TA126.
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