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Simponi approved for Canadian rheumatologic ailments

15 Apr 2009

Simponi approved for Canadian rheumatologic ailments

The drug Simponi - otherwise known as golimumab - has been granted approval by Health Canada for the treatment of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and active ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

It will mainly be combined with methotrexate (MTX) to help with reducing adult symptoms of RA and PsA.

The Schering-Plough and Centocor Ortho Biotech medication will also be used either alone or in combination with MTX for the treatment of AS.

It is the first time a drug has been approved at the same time for use in three different rheumatologic ailments.

Centocor senior vice president for clinical research and development Jerome A Boscia explained the move is a milestone in the medication''s clinical development.

"More importantly, the approval of Simponi expands the therapeutic options for physicians and offers patients an effective new medication that can be self-administered once monthly," he said.

According to Schering-plough, it should be available in Canada in the second half of this year.

The news comes after pharmaceutical firm Pfizer announced it is attempting to buy a number of stocks from its shareholders.