Clinical Need
According to the American College of Rheumatology and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2-3 million people in the United States are living with inflammatory arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Moreover, inflammatory arthritis leads to significant morbidity, loss of productivity and healthcare spending. According to the CDC, the cost of treating arthritis and other rheumatic conditions was $86.2 billion in 1997, the most recent year for which these data are available. Of this total, $55.1 billion was on direct medical costs, while $35.1 billion resulted from indirect costs, such as work loss.
Although there have been important advances in the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases, 15 to 40 percent of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis are only partial responders to the TNF-α inhibitor drugs. We believe that Targeted Genetics' approach to treating inflammatory arthritis has significant potential. Our targeted, localized product candidate in conjunction with systemic therapy may come to play an important role in helping patients better manage their disease.
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