FDA Approves Etanercept for the First-Line Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Etanercept (Enbrel^®) is now indicated for first-line treatment in patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis for reducing signs and symptoms and delaying structural damage. Approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the expanded indication came as a result of radiographic and clinical results from a phase III randomized, double-blind, multi-center trial of 632 adults with early stage rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that had no previous methotrexate therapy.