Humira, one of the TNF inhibitors, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat the signs and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis. This is the third FDA-approved indication for Humira, which was approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis in 2002 and psoriatic arthritis in 2005.

Abbott Laboratories, Inc. announced the approval today. Ankylosing spondylitis is one of the rheumatic diseases which belong to the group of conditions known as spondyloarthopathies. Statistics reveal that about 129 out of 100,000 people in the United States have ankylosing spondylitis. The condition is commonly referred to as arthritis of the spine and sometimes confused with back pain. Ankylosing spondylitis can be misdiagnosed or result in a delayed diagnosis.

• The Facts of Humira
• Ankylosing Spondylitis Screening Quiz
• Ankylosing Spondylitis: Often a Delayed or Difficult Diagnosis
• TNF Blockers (Enbrel, Remicade, Humira) - Test Your Knowledge
• Enbrel, Remicade, and Humira: How Are They Similar and Different?
• Fearing Side Effects of Enbrel, Remicade, and Humira

_{Photo by Kai Koehler (iStockphoto)}