A review of sarilumab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease predominantly affecting the peripheral diarthrodial joints. Sarilumab is a human monoclonal antibody against the IL-6 receptor-α. In Phase II and III clinical trials, sarilumab in the background of methotrexate showed superior clinical efficacy over placebo in RA patients with inadequate response to methotrexate or inadequate response or intolerance to TNF inhibitors. Sarilumab monotherapy also showed superior efficacy compared with adalimumab monotherapy in RA patients with inadequate response or intolerance to methotrexate. For safety, injection site reaction, neutropenia and elevation of liver enzymes and serum cholesterol were more commonly observed with sarilumab than with placebo. Overall, sarilumab is expected to serve as another useful antirheumatic drug against active RA.