Golimumab (Simponi) is accepted for restricted use within NHS Scotland

Taken from NRAS magazine, Winter 2011

At the beginning of November2011 the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) completed its assessment of  golimumab, a new TNF inhibitor,  and has advised that this drug should be accepted for restricted use in Scotland.  Golimumab is now an option for patients who have moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis and who have had an inadequate response to methotrexate and will be prescribed inline with the NICE guidance for other TNF inhibitors.

Golimumab, in combination with methotrexate, has been shown to reduce the rate of progression of joint damage as measured by X-ray and to improve physical function. There are no head to head studies comparing golimumab with other TNFα inhibitors in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.