eLetter: Tabalumab, an anti-BAFF monoclonal antibody, in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis with an inadequate response to TNF inhibitors by M Genovese
- Areti Triantafyllou,
- Athina Pyrpasopoulou,
- Panagiota Anyfanti,
- Ekaterini Balaska,
- Spyros Aslanidis,
- Stella Douma
- Correspondence to Dr Athina Pyrpasopoulou, 2nd Prop Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration GH, Konstantinoupoleos 49, Thessaloniki 54642, Greece; a.pyrpasopoulou{at}doctors.org.uk
- Received 7 January 2013
- Accepted 17 January 2013
- Published Online First 9 February 2013
We read with great interest the article by Genovese et al1 on the effect of the B-cell activating factor (BAFF) antagonist tabalumab in rheumatoid arthritis patients with inadequate response to tumour necrosis factor (TNF)a blockade. The results of this study indicated a moderate effect of tabalumab early (week 6/week 9) after initiation of therapy, both in terms of clinical as well as laboratory markers of disease activity, which however was not significantly sustained later on in the course of treatment (week 16).
In the previous decade, biological therapies that target the B cell have become established in the treatment of rheumatoid …
