Safer alternative to Rituxan in the future?

[jjj3]

Hi all!  I recently came across this drug in Stage 1 trials (not for SJS though - as usual).  It seems to work like Rituxan, without the dangerous immune suppression and risk of infection (if I understand correctly).  It would be nice if they could do a trial for SJS.  Does anyone know about this drug and it's potential?

Thanks,
Cathy

http://www.lifescience-online.com/Pharmacyclics_Initiates_Phase_1_Clinical_Trial_of_,15348.html?portalPage=Lifescience+Today.News

[Linda196]

Thanks, Cathy, this is an interesting study, and it does mention a possible benefit in "autoimmune diseases like RA and Lupus" so that could include SjS.

For drugs of this nature (experimental, expensive, and in early development) studies will be focused on diseases that present in large numbers, and the total number of SjS patients with disease severe enough to require it are very limited (remembering that in studies, symptoms have to be severe in order to show a documentable response in a measureable time; patients have to have serological evidence of the disease, also for documentable responses; and in most cases cannot have any other disease process that may contribute to the symptoms, since that would cloud the responses).

[jjj3]

Thanks for the response Linda!  You make so many good points.  I wish research would move faster so that all of us with autoimmune disease could have some relief.  I'll have to learn patience (not easy for me).

Thanks again,
Cathy

[kindandcaring]

Thanks for sharing Cathy.

Linda is on the ball...we are a difficult bunch for trials.

We have to rely on the Arthritis or MS, Diabetes Type 1 Clinical Trials for our hope.