Golimumab is a new biologic medication and TNF-a inhibitor that is undergoing clinic trials in the treatment of various diseases. Two recent studies have shown that Golimumab is effective in treating two forms of spondyloarthritis: ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The drug is being studied as a monthly injection and an every twelve-week intravenous infusion (approximately 30-minutes) therapy.

According to findings from the Golimumab - A Randomized Study in Ankylosing Spondylitis Subjects of a Novel Anti-TNF mAB Injection Given Every Four Weeks (GO-RAISE) trial, more than half the people with AS in the study saw marked improvement. According to a press release by the drug's manufacturer, Centocor, Inc., "At week 14 of the study, 59 percent of patients receiving golimumab 50 mg and 60 percent of patients receiving golimumab 100 mg achieved at least 20 percent improvement in the Assessment in Ankylosing Spondylitis criteria compared with 22 percent of patients receiving placebo."

In the psoriatic arthritis study, "Golimumab - A Randomized Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy in Subjects with Psoriatic Arthritis Using a Human Anti-TNF Monoclonal Antibody (GO-REVEAL) study", psoriatic arthritis-modified Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesis Scores (MASES) improved significantly in patients receiving golimumab at both 14 and 24 weeks. Participants all showed improvement as measured by the Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI).

The results of both studies were presented at the American College of Rheumatology 71st Annual Scientific Meeting.

Link to the Centocor press release regarding the ankylosing spondylitis results: Click here

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