Roche announced that new data in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other severe autoimmune conditions will be presented at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual Congress (EULAR 2015) in Rome, 10-13 June, 2015. The data reinforces the significant body of evidence for RoACTEMRA and MabThera in rheumatoid arthritis and other immune-mediated conditions.

“People with rheumatological conditions have relied on our medicines for more than a decade, and we are committed to developing treatments for other debilitating autoimmune diseases,” said Sandra Horning, M.D., Roche’s Head of Global Product Development and Chief Medical Officer. “We are proud to apply our insights into the biology of inflammation to conditions where patients have inadequate, or no currently approved, treatment options.”

Data to be presented at EULAR 2015 shows the depth and breadth of Roche in RA and other autoimmune diseases. Results from studies in early RA, SSc, systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) – a severe form of arthritis affecting children – and rare conditions characterised by inflammation of blood vessels will be presented.

The Roche Group’s immunology medicines include rheumatoid arthritis treatments MabThera/Rituxan (rituximab) and ACTEMRA/RoACTEMRA (tocilizumab), XOLAIR (omalizumab) in asthma, Pulmozyme (dornase alfa) for cystic fibrosis and Esbriet (pirfenidone) for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, MabThera is approved for the treatment of certain types of small-vessel vasculitis. Roche’s late-stage pipeline includes etrolizumab, which is being studied in ulcerative colitis, and lebrikizumab for severe asthma.