Janssen Inc. announced that Health Canada has approved SIMPONI® I.V. (golimumab) for infusion for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in combination with methotrexate. SIMPONI® I.V. is the first and only fully human anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha infusible therapy approved in Canada to treat moderately to severely active RA. “The approval of golimumab for infusion offers patients living with moderately to severely active RA a new and effective treatment option with an infusion time of 30 minutes. In addition, it is dosed based on weight, which means it can offer patients a more tailored option,” said Dr. Edward Keystone, Mount Sinai Hospital. Approximately 300,000 Canadians are living with RA, a chronic, systemic inflammatory condition. RA is often characterized by symptoms of joint inflammation, stiffness and pain that, over time, spread to more joints. The approval of SIMPONI® I.V. is supported by findings from the Phase 3 Trial of Golimumab, an Anti-TNF-alpha Monoclonal Antibody, Administered Intravenously, in Subjects with Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Despite Methotrexate Therapy (GO-FURTHER).
