Roche presents REFLEX study data for MabThera

Swiss drug major Roche presented results from the REFLEX study, showing that the number of people with rheumatoid arthritis achieving clinical remission doubled after three courses of its MabThera (rituximab), at the American College of Rheumatology meeting in San Francisco.

In the pivotal REFLEX study, involving 2,578 patients with severe RA who have failed to respond adequately to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, those taking MabThera in combination with methotrexate progressed from 8.8% achieving clinical remission after the first treatment course to 17.6% after the third successive regimen.

The study also revealed almost twice as many people with RA achieved a 70% improvement in their symptoms after their third course of treatment compared to their first (increase in ACR 70% score response from 14% to 25.7%). Additional data demonstrated that long-term treatment with MabThera continues to significantly inhibit the progression of joint damage over a period of two years.