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Rheumatoid arthritis

BiTEing refractory RA

Nature Reviews Rheumatology volume 20, page 395 (2024)Cite this article

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B cell depletion using bispecific T cell engagers (BiTEs) shows promise in the treatment of multidrug-resistant rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as indicated by a pilot study published in Nature Medicine. BiTEs are already an effective treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, and the latest findings highlight the potential of this approach for B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases, including RA.

In the latest study, six patients with multidrug-resistant active and severe RA were assigned to receive treatment with the CD19–CD3 BiTE blinatumomab, on a compassionate use basis. The patients had already failed to respond to treatment with various DMARDs: all six patients had previously been treated with methotrexate, leflunomide, TNF inhibitors and JAK inhibitors, and some of the patients had also received IL-6 inhibitors, abatacept and rituximab.

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  1. Nature Reviews Rheumatology http://www.nature.com/nrrheum/

    Jessica McHugh

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  1. Jessica McHugh
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Correspondence to Jessica McHugh.

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McHugh, J. BiTEing refractory RA. Nat Rev Rheumatol 20, 395 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41584-024-01132-6

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