Enbrel demonstrates long-term safety profile

USA-based drug major Wyeth says that data from a recently completed study shows that Enbrel (etanercept), its targeted therapy for autoimmune conditions, is safe when used for extended treatment periods. The data, which were presented at the 15th European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology Congress, are from a 48-week open-label extension study.

Wyeth, which co-markets the drug in North America with fellow US company Amgen, said that the two-and-a-half year follow-up study confirmed the safety profile observed in earlier studies. The firm went on to say that no cases of demyelinating diseases, tuberculosis, opportunistic infection or lymphoma had been reported by any of the 921 patients participating in the assessment.

In a separate study, patients received 24 weeks of treatment at which point therapy was halted, only being re-initated when half of the improvements achieved during the initial phase had been lost. The re-treatment results showed that the drug conferred comparable levels of clinical benefit to uninterrupted periods of therapy.