Arthritis specific agents

Effects of the cyclooxygenase-2 specific inhibitor valdecoxib versus nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents and placebo on cardiovascular thrombotic events in patients with arthritis. Am] Ther. 2004 11 244-250. 

Penicillamine (Cuprimine), a derivative of penicillin, is officially classified as a chelating agent that is often used in the treatment of heavy metal intoxication (e.g., lead poisoning). In addition, this drug has been used in patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis, and seems to be as effective as other DMARDs such as methotrexate, sulfasalazine, and gold therapy.68 98 Penicillamine, however, tends to be substantially more toxic than other DMARDs, and is therefore used rarely in the treatment of specific patients with rheumatoid arthritis.68... 

Liposomes are being used in both cosmeticeuticals and pharmaceuticals [887,888]. An example is the use of liposomes to carry a drug to specific disease locations, such as tumours, rheumatic arthritis, and inflammation sites [236,885,887]. Another example is the use of liposomes in topical and dermal lotion or cream treatments, in which they are intended to carry agents such as anaesthetics, retinoids,... 

More recently it has been suggested that bioreductive technologies may have applications in the treatment of other disease states. For example, it has been suggested that the essential role of hypoxia in rheumatoid arthritis offers opportunities to specifically deliver anti-inflammatory agents to arthritic joints using bioreductive prodrugs. 

Alemtuzumab (campath-lH) is a humanized monoclonal antibody specific for the CDw52 antigen, present on cell membranes of lymphocytes and monocytes. It has been used for treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and vasculitis, is being investigated for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and has been used to deplete circulating lymphocytes in patients with multiple sclerosis (1). In 2001, alemtuzumab was approved in Europe for the treatment of chronic B cell lymphocytic leukemia that had been treated previously with alkylating agents and was refractory to fludarabine (2). It has also been used for induction of immunosuppression/tolerance in liver transplant recipients (3,4) and kidney/pancreas transplant recipients (5). 

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