Biogen Idec: Rituxan study meets end point

Genentech Inc. and Biogen Idec Inc. said that a clinical study showed that Rituxan decreased the progression of joint damage in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.

Rituxan, discovered by Cambridge-based Biogen Idec, went on the market just over a decade ago and has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat several forms of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In 2006, Rituxan received FDA approval in combination with another drug to reduce signs and symptoms in some adult patients with moderately-to-severely active rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, Biogen Idec noted in a press release.

Genentech, which has its headquarters in California, and Biogen Idec are now exploring another possible use of Rituxan, and in a press release today, the companies announced that a Phase III clinical study of Rituxan in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have not previously been treated with methotrexate "met its primary endpoint."

The press release included a statement from Evan Beckman, M.D., Biogen Idec's senior vice president of Immunology Research and Development.

Study results "confirm Rituxan's positive impact on disease activity and physical function in RA patients," Beckman said. "We look forward to sharing the full data set with the medical community and the FDA."

To read the full press release, please click here.

Biogen Idec, along with another company, also markets Tysabri, a multiple sclerosis drug.

Please click here to read a Bloomberg News story about Tysabri that appeared in today's Globe.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)