Janssen Rheumatology Findings Highlight ACR Conference

Janssen Biotech has announced they will be presenting data across its expansive rheumatology and immunology portfolio at the American College of Rheumatology and Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals annual meeting.

They will be presenting 28 abstracts of studies that explore the use of different rheumatology and immunology drugs in patient groups, according to Janssen. New results from a phase 3 study of Simponi Aria (golimumab) infusion in patients with ankylosing spondylitis will be presented.

Simponi Aria is Janssen’s tumor necrosis factor blocker that is indicated to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis in combination with methotrexate. Studies that will be presented discuss the drug in patients with ankylosing spondylitis, as well as in patients who are older than age 65.

Additionally, they will present a pooled safety analysis of Stelara (ustekinumab) in patients with psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and psoriasis. They will also be presenting real-world data from patients with rheumatoid arthritis taking Remicade (infliximab).

Janssen will also be presenting information regarding investigational drugs in their pipeline. Pipeline presentations include data about a phase 2a study examining sirukumab, which is an investigational human monoclonal IgG1 kappa antibody in phase 3 development for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Sirukumab works by targeting the cytokine IL-6 that is believed to be involved with autoimmune diseases. The drug is being developed by both Janssen and GSK, and submitted regulatory findings for the drug in both the United States and European Union earlier this year.

Several posters will also present findings about new research efforts among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. This disease is a chronic and complex autoimmune disease that is characterized by the immune system creating antibodies that attack the kidneys, brain, heart, lungs, blood, skin, and joints.

Symptoms include fatigue, joint pain, rash, and fever, but these symptoms tend to come and go, which makes it hard to diagnose. Also, there is no single diagnostic test that can determine if a patient has the disease, and patients have no cure even if they are definitively diagnosed.

Janssen will be presenting data from different studies that explore the use of treatments, and various disease characteristics.

“At Janssen, we are committed to addressing the unmet needs of patients living with rheumatic diseases today, and in the future through our continued efforts in research and development of therapies with novel mechanisms of action and different delivery systems,” said Andrew Greenspan, MD, vice president, Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC. “We’re proud to present the latest data at the American College of Rheumatology meeting from our portfolio and pipeline, including new data for Simponi Aria in the treatment of patients with ankylosing spondylitis.”