Does Switching Your TNF Blocker Drug Work?

Switching from one TNF blocker drug (i.e. Enbrel, Remicade, Humira) to another can be an effective treatment strategy. Some arthritis patients are forced to stop using a TNF blocker because the drug is not working or has caused undesirable side effects. Study results indicate that a second course of therapy with a different TNF blocker can allow patients to continue with treatment.

• The Facts of Enbrel (etanercept)
• The Facts of Remicade (infliximab)
• The Facts of Humira (adalimumab)
• Test Your Knowledge: TNF Blockers

A large study, reported in the January 2007 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, involved 6,739 rheumatoid arthritis patients (876 starting Humira; 2,826 starting Enbrel; and 3,037 starting Remicade) from a United Kingdom national register. Over a follow-up period of approximately 15 months, 841 patients stopped taking their first TNF blocker due to ineffectiveness and 1,023 stopped due to toxicity. Of the patients who stopped due to ineffectiveness, 503 were switched to a second TNF blocker as were 353 of the patients who had stopped due to toxicity. Study results revealed that 73 percent of patients who switched to a second TNF blocker were able to continue treatment. Of people who had to discontinue the second TNF blocker, reasons were related to discontinuation of the first TNF blocker. The high rate of continuation is promising for patients who must switch TNF blockers.

More Related Resources:

• Arthritis Without Pain: The Miracle of TNF Blockers
• When is it Appropriate to Switch Your TNF Blocker Drug?
• TNF Blockers: Some Patients Do Not Achieve Good Response
• Enbrel, Remicade, and Humira: How Are They Similar and Different?
• Are Some Arthritis Patients Unsuitable Candidates For Biologic Drugs?

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