Pfizer and Takeda launch Enbrel injection for rheumatoid arthritis

Pfizer and Takeda have teamed up to launch the Enbrel injection, which offers a new method of administration to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

The drug has received regulatory approval from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on March 22nd and is an autoinjector pen pre-filled preparation with the same composition as the traditional Enbrel Subcutaneous injection 50mg Syringe 1.0mL.

It is hoped that the treatment will provide easy administration by clicking on a button on the top of the pen, while the injection needle will be concealed to alleviate the discomfort of patients who do not want to see the needle during injection.

As well as this, its design decreases the risk of accidental pricking and infection after administration.

Mark Swindell, regional president of Asia-Pacific, specialty care, Japan business unit head, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide an easy-to-use treatment option to rheumatoid arthritis patients with pain and swelling in their joints.

“Enbrel is the biological preparation that has the longest history of usage in rheumatoid arthritis treatment in the world. We hope that the introduction of autoinjector pen will be an opportunity to provide a better treatment option to patients who have been reluctant to self-administer.”

Enbrel is designed for rheumatoid arthritis patients who do not respond adequately to existing therapies.

It works by suppressing rheumatoid arthritis inflammation by binding to and inactivating tumour necrosis factor, while it also binds to lymphotoxin alpha.

Masato Iwasaki,  senior vice president of the pharmaceutical marketing division of Takeda, said: “Since rheumatoid arthritis requires long-term treatment, it is important to continue treatment while mitigating mental and physical burdens on patients.

“The 50mg autoinjector pen enables quick and safe administration with one click, making self-injection easier. We are excited to offer this new treatment option to an even greater number of rheumatoid patients.”

Posted by Ben Evans