Cimzia: new TNF-alpha inhibitor

PHARMACOLOGY

Certolizumab pegol is a PEGylated formulation of a humanized monoclonal antibody specific for tnf-α.

CLINICAL STUDIES

In two studies comparing the use of certolizumab and MTX to placebo and MTX, significantly more patients in the certolizumab groups achieved the American College of Rheumatology 20 per cent criteria for improvement (ACR20) at 24 weeks.^1,2

The most common adverse effects in the trials were headache, hypertension, UTI, URTI and back pain.^1,2

View Cimzia drug record

REFERENCES

1. Keystone E et al. Arthritis Rheumatism 2008; 58:3319-29.
2. Smolen J et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2009; 68:797-804.

Further information: UCB