Local physician part of arthritis drug development

Monday, Nov. 17, 1997 | 12:47 p.m.

A new arthritis drug is showing promise and a Southern Nevada physician is part of the trial.

While there is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis, which causes inflammation and destruction of joints as part of an auto-immune disease, Enbrel is the first drug in the past 10 years to relieve symptoms.

The disease strikes more women than men, and many patients stop responding to medication as the disease progresses.

Phase 3 of the drug's trial of 234 severely afflicted patients is under way and Dr. Scott Harris at the Clinical Research Center of Nevada is part of the study. Phase 3 is the last stage of testing required before data results are submitted for approval.

If approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the market for Enbrel could be between $500 million and $1 billion a year for the Seattle biotech company Immunex Corp.

About 2.5 million people in the United States have rheumatoid arthritis and 500,000 of them with advanced disease no longer respond to drugs.

Enbrel is a natural molecule found in the human immune system.

Trial participants had to have a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis by a physician within the past three years and no prior treatment with methotrexate, also known as Rheumatrex, for any medical condition.

For more information about the drug trial, call 1-800-89-8524.