Autoimmune Disease Series: Will Biologics Emerge as New Treatments for Reactive Arthritis?

Introduction

Reactive arthritis (ReA), a seronegative spondyloarthropathy that is believed to be partially autoimmune and triggered by the presence of a bacterial infection, is rare. For that reason, along with the availability of generic agents and the relatively benign nature of the disease, the market for reactive arthritis therapies is limited. Nonetheless, the treatment of chronic and refractory reactive arthritis remains a target for drug development. How promising a target? To answer that question, Decision Resources surveyed specialists to uncover their treatment choices for reactive arthritis and to determine whether any emerging therapy will cause a signifi cant change in the market.

Get the Answers You Need to Shape Your Strategy

• Reactive arthritis is an inflammatory disease triggered by a bacterial infection, usually gastrointestinal or urogenital in origin. What are the symptoms of reactive arthritis? How is the disease diagnosed? What are the drugs commonly used to treat reactive arthritis?
• Reactive arthritis is a rare disease that occasionally goes into spontaneous remission. How many individuals in the United States are diagnosed with reactive arthritis? How will the diagnosed population grow over the next ten years?
• Reactive arthritis mainly affects the joints, with chronic disease sometimes becoming debilitating. What are specialists' choices for fi rst-line therapies to treat reactive arthritis? Are there any agents in development for ReA? What role will biologic therapies play in the treatment of ReA?

• Overview of reactive arthritis: disease defi nition, pathogenesis, symptoms, diagnosis
• Epidemiology: Diagnosed U.S. cases of reactive arthritis, 2007-2012
• Current therapies: Surveyed specialists' therapy choices, NSAIDs, DMARDs
• Use of biologics in the treatment of reactive arthritis: TNF-á inhibitors, emerging biologic therapies
• Outlook for reactive arthritis market: 2007 sales, outlook for emerging therapies
• This report is part of the Autoimmune Disease Series: In 2007, sales of agents used to treat autoimmune disorders exceeded $20 billion. Still, for many of the more than 80 identifi ed autoimmune disorders, treatment options are limited. Targeting underserved autoimmune diseases offers drug developers the opportunity to introduce their agents into the autoimmune market while taking advantage of the minimal competition and an expedited regulatory process. The Autoimmune Disease Series provides critical market information, including disease prevalence, profi les of marketed and emerging agents, and insight into the prescribing choices of disease specialists.