Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Approximately two million patients (0.6% of the population) in the US and five hundred thousand patients (0.8% of the population) in the UK, predominantly young women in the prime of their lives, have RA, an autoimmune disease with serious, life-altering consequences. About half fail to respond adequately to even medicine’s most advanced treatment options, such as tumor necrosis factor inhibition (TNFi) and other biologics. Moreover, 75% fail to achieve remission defined by 2012 American College of Rheumatology guidelines resulting in persistent pain, stiffness and ongoing joint destruction, often leading to surgery and disability.
Rheumatologists participating in S.G. Cowen focus groups recently voiced their opinion. Rather than desiring more targeted biologic immunosuppressants; rheumatologists indicated their highest need was a metric or biomarker able to predict treatment success. Many believe the answer lies in finding the right treatment for the right patient.
Inmedix is looking in another direction - immuno-autonomics - to understanding why some patients respond to treatment while other patients do not. Could a factor, such as stress, which varies from patient to patient, explain why patients respond differently to the same treatment? If so, then clinicians may be able to guide treatment decisions to more favorable outcomes in an entirely new way.