American College of Rheumatology conference is an annual event where experts, Rheumatologists & researchers meet & insights & advances in rheumatological ailments are discussed.
The important updates for AS warriors from the conference is the further research into newer treatment options.
- Secukinumab (Cosentyx): has already been approved by US FDA. Studies looking at long term effect (>1 year) were discussed & show good efficacy of the drug in AS.
- Tocilizumab (Xeljanz) : A new ray of hope for AS. It has already been approved for rheumatoid Arthritis. It was studied in 207 patients of AS & has shown promising results. However this is quite early. One would require many more studies & the FDA regulatory approval procedure for it to be used in AS. The results definitely look promising & is a ray of hope for AS.
- Ustekinumab- another new biologic being studied for AS. Early study shows promising results & is a drug to watch out for.
All in all, a lot of action in the AS treatment arena. With a lot of focus targeted at AS, we should expect more options to treat AS in near future.
