Immunex' Enbrel Safe Over Long-Term Use

Immunex' tumor necrosis factor receptor drug Enbrel has been found to besafe in rheumatoid arthritis patients, with some individuals receiving the drug for up to a year. The 106-patient, open-label study included patients who were reassigned to treatment with Enbrel after completing an earlier three-month study of the drug.

Efficacy data were also encouraging, with 82% of 78 patients who had taken the drug for at least six months showing improvement in swollen joints and 88% showing benefit in tender joints. 11 patients took the drug for one year, and 10 of them had a response, defined as a 20% or more improvement in swollen and painful joints. No antibodies to the drug were detected, and the most frequent side effect was local reactions, occurring in 2% of all injections.