Methotrexate Plus Enbrel Induces Remission, Slows Rheumatoid Arthritis Progression

Thursday July 24, 2008

Methotrexate in combination with Enbrel (etanercept) induces remission and prevents progression of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with early, moderate to severe disease within one year compared to taking methotrexate alone. The study that compared methotrexate and Enbrel to methotrexate alone was called the COMET (Combination of Methotrexate and Etanercept in Early Active Rheumatoid Arthritis) study. The study included 542 outpatients who had not previously used methotrexate and had early moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis for 3 to 24 months. The patients received either methotrexate 7.5 mg a week, to a maximum of 20 mg a week by week 8, or methotrexate (same dosage) plus Enbrel 50 mg a week.

According to results reported in the July 16 early online edition of The Lancet, researchers found that 50% of patients given the combination treatment achieved clinical remission compared with 28% given methotrexate alone -- almost twice as many. Also, in the combined treatment group, 80% of patients achieved radiographic nonprogression (disease progression was not evident on x-ray), compared with 59% of patients taking methotrexate alone. The study results also emphasized that among the two groups, there was a nearly 3-fold reduction in work stoppage in the combination treatment group. Very significant results! It's what the makers of Enbrel hoped would be the case when the drug first came out in 1998. But be aware, not everyone is a candidate for these drugs. Talk to your doctor about your specific case.

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