Pamapimod fails in rheumatoid arthritis study

Taken from NRAS magazine, Spring 2009

Pamapimod, a kinase inhibitor, has failed at an early stage in its development for rheumatoid arthritis. The study involved 204 people with rheumatoid arthritis, including treatment-naïve patients who had never taken disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or anti-TNF agents. People on pamapimod achieved poorer results than those on methotrexate.

The researchers say that several such kinase inhibitors have been studied for use in rheumatoid arthritis, but data so far have been discouraging, and the results of this latest study suggest that RA is the "wrong indication" for drugs in this class.