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Genes determine response to arthritis drug
Certain genetic polymorphisms are associated with a
response to anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs, say Swedish
researchers. Such genetic variations could be exploited to develop individually
tailored treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, they argue.
Dr Leonid Padyukov, from the Karolinska Hospital
in Stockholm, presented the results of a study involving 123 patients
with active RA at the EULAR meeting. He said: “Not all patients respond
well to anti-TNF treatment. Some have a very poor or no response to a
very effective drug. Can genetic markers explain why this is?”
Patients were treated with the anti-TNF drug etanercept
(Enbrel) and then grouped according to whether or not they responded to
treatment. The researchers then analysed DNA from the patients to determine
whether certain genetic differences were associated with a response to
treatment.
“We found distinct polymorphisms in genes for TNF
and interleukin 10 (IL-10). Patients with a certain type of both the TNF
and IL-10 polymorphism were most likely to respond to treatment,” said
Dr Padyukov. The potential of using genetic markers to identify responders
to anti-TNF therapy was attractive. “It could help optimise patient treatment
and make the most of available resources,” he said.
Asked if clinicians should be testing for such polymorphisms,
Dr Padyukov said that the study had not been designed to test predictive
factors. “We do not know whether we will be able to predict who will not
respond. We only found association factors.”
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