Desperately looking for the right target in osteoarthritis: the anti-IL-1 strategy
1 Department of Rheumatology, University of Paris XII, Henri Mondor Hospital, Bd de Lattre de Tassigny, Creteil 94010, France
2 Department of Rheumatology, University of Lyon SUD, Hospital Pierre Bénite, Lyon, Chemin du grand revoyet, 69495 Pierre Benite, France
3 Department of Rheumatology, University of Paris VII, Hospital Lariboisière, 10 rue Ambroise paré, Paris 75010, France
Arthritis Research & Therapy 2011, 13:124 doi:10.1186/ar3436
See related research by Cohen et al., http://arthritis-research.com/content/13/4/R125
Published: 26 August 2011Abstract
Blocking IL-1 in patients with knee osteoarthritis is an attractive strategy. Cohen and colleagues report a randomised, placebo-controlled, multiple-dose trial using a monoclonal antibody blocking IL-1 type 1 receptor. They failed to show any positive results in terms of evolution of pain for up to 12 weeks, in line with the former trials using intraarticular injections of IL-1 receptor antagonist. A trend was observed, however, in a subgroup of patients with high level of pain at baseline. Although these data may suggest cessation of IL-1 therapy in osteoarthritis, other methods such as limited intraarticular anti-IL-1 delivery should still be considered.
