Jakarta (ANTARA) - therapy for the treatment of "rheumatoid arthritis", inflammatory joint disease with pain that is very, very, soon in Indonesia, so people will have the antidote. "Rheumatoid arthritis For many patients, treatment with current therapies do not treat pain and other signs of deterioration of the disease," said Harry Isbagio, President of the Association of Rheumatoid Indonesia, in Jakarta, Monday.
According to him, the disease afflicts more than 21 million people worldwide and the disease it causes distortion of the joints and reduce the function of the pain, stiffness and swelling.
In a further development of the disease can lead to joint destruction that can not be repaired and cause disability.
"The hallmark of systemic penyakitr was accompanied by fatigue, anemia, osteoporosis and may reduce life expectancy by affecting the vital organs of the system," he said.
PT Roche Indonesia, an affiliate of Roche Group announced plans to implementation of clinical research "tocilizumab", the first-line biological therapy inhibiting receptor "interleukin six" (IL-6) approved its use based on the largest clinical Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Patients living with the disease was expected demand for better treatment and understanding of the impact and burden of the conditions experienced by them.
PT Roche Indonesia, one of the world's leading companies in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics based research, the challenge is to conduct research that ended in mid-2011 that tocilizumab clinical studies of IL-6 receptor inhibitor.
Inge S. Kusuma, Head of Pharma, Roche Indonesia, said pengembangkan tocilizumab and unique mechanism is an important new option for patients who experienced disease Rheumatoid arthritis continue to deteriorate despite getting treatment.
"Clinical research is an important step forward, offering a new option for the people of Indonesia affected by this serious disease," he said.
Tocilizumab is an inhibitor of IL-6 monoclonal antibody to the first.
This clinical study will involve five centers, namely, in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Malang and Yogyakarta.
Dr. Bambang Setyohadi, principal investigator explained that the purpose of this clinical study was to test the efficacy and safety of new therapies and provide therapeutic opportunities for patients with Rheumatoid arthritis in Indonesia.
Tocilizumab has been studied in five phase 3 studies involving multi-nation of more than 4,000 patients.
Research indicates that tocilizumab, a single therapy that significantly reduces the signs or the result of Rheumatoid arthritis.