More FDA progress-Cimzia

sr5599

Veteran Member

Joined : Aug 2007

Posts : 1202

Posted 4/22/2008 6:19 PM (GMT 0)

Can't help but share with others who will be as excited as I! The FDA approved Cimzia today! WooHoo, more progress!

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01821.html

MBJOH

Regular Member

Joined : Mar 2007

Posts : 257

Posted 4/22/2008 7:23 PM (GMT 0)

Thank you for the information. It sounds an awful lot like Humira. But you would only have to do the shot every four weeks as opposed to every two weeks. After a year of doing the Humira every two weeks I am starting to feel like a pin cushion. But it seems to be helping so I keep doing it.

gachrons

Veteran Member

Joined : Mar 2007

Posts : 4527

Posted 4/22/2008 8:39 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks very new read out on this drug.I have been interested in knowing about some of these drugs and didn't realize it was so new. lol gail

gachrons

Veteran Member

Joined : Mar 2007

Posts : 4527

Posted 4/22/2008 8:39 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks very new read out on this drug.I have been interested in knowing about some of these drugs and didn't realize it was so new. lol gail

sr5599

Veteran Member

Joined : Aug 2007

Posts : 1202

Posted 4/22/2008 8:54 PM (GMT 0)

i am pretty sure there is someone on the forum who was (until they approved it) a clinical trial patient. She (I think she) had good results. Yes, a lot like Humira but (I will quote to be accurate)

"Cimzia is the first and only PEGylated anti-TNF (Tumour Necrosis Factor) antibody. Cimzia retains the potency of the original antibody without the possible cytotoxicity mediated by the Fc portion present in conventional anti-TNFs."

I don't really understand pharmaceutically what "PEGylated" means, but I do know it's a different structure than Remicade and Humira. Maybe the person whose had success in the trial can explain?

FallColors

Veteran Member

Joined : May 2007

Posts : 1220

Posted 4/22/2008 9:19 PM (GMT 0)

I was just googling and found that there is some dispute over the real effectiveness of the drug versus the risks.
http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/human/opinion/Q&A_Cimzia_14549708en.pdf

I am allergic to Remicade and Humira and would love to find a new drug that acheived the same (or better!) results and didn't send me into hives or cardiac arrest. I hope the folks with experience will chime in soon!

FYI -- According to Wikipedia "PEGylation is the a process of covalent attachment of poly(ethylene glycol) polymer chains to another molecule, normally a drug or therapeutic protein"

LittleL

New Member

Joined : Apr 2008

Posts : 6

Posted 4/23/2008 1:07 AM (GMT 0)

I was in a clinical trial similar to the anti-tNF drug you are discussing. Immunemodulators are scary. Yes, they may work. But they modify your immune system. It has been a couple of years since the study and I still get vicious sinus infections (which I never had before the study). Also, the risks are great. I'm a nursing grad student and am taking Pharm classes. One of the things I learned (and is no surprise) is that you don't want to rush to take a new med. The fourth phase of medication formulation is where they release it to the public...that's when you may see how it actually may affect us. I know desperation may cause us to look to drugs that are helpful (yet toxic), but keep the faith and trying to find healing.

Crohn'snme

Veteran Member

Joined : Feb 2007

Posts : 736

Posted 4/23/2008 1:53 AM (GMT 0)

Just thankful they are continuing the path to look for more ways to treat this disease. Thanks for sharing.

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply