Roche’s Arthritis Drug Actemra™ Got Japanese Approval
Roche Holding AG’s arthritis drug Actemra™ just won Japanese approval, which will then be sold by Roche’s Chugai unit.
Actemra is the first humanized interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor-inhibiting monoclonal antibody. An extensive clinical development program of five Phase III trials was designed to evaluate clinical findings of Actemra.
Four studies are completed and have reported meeting their primary endpoints. A fifth trial, a two-year study called LITHE (TociLIzumab safety and THE prevention of structural joint damage), is currently underway and is expected to report preliminary first-year data in 2008.
I would like the patients to understand their condition better in order to help them discern what is best for their life with arthritis in conjunction to what their doctors are telling them! .. 
