Sanofi and its specialty care global business unit, Sanofi Genzyme, have announced that the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorisation for Kevzara® (sarilumab) in combination with methotrexate (MTX) for the treatment of moderately-to-severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adult patients who have responded inadequately to, or who are intolerant to one or more disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
Sarilumab may be used as monotherapy in case of intolerance to MTX or when treatment with methotrexate is inappropriate.
‘Despite a wide range of treatment options, many people with RA do not respond adequately to existing treatments or experience loss of response to therapy over time. Symptoms can be debilitating and greatly impact the ability to perform daily activities,’ said Professor Peter Taylor, Consultant Rheumatologist, Oxford University Hospitals.
‘New treatment options are an important part of the solution to this problem.’
‘RA is a chronic and debilitating lifelong disease and despite existing treatment options, there are still patients in need of an effective alternative,’ added Peter Kuiper, General Manager UK & Ireland at Sanofi Genzyme.
‘Sarilumab presents an additional option for those people and is a welcome addition to the physician’s prescribing toolkit.’
