A new drug has been launched, which will give hope to the 2,500 children in the UK who suffer from severe arthritis.

Systemic juvenile arthritis, which can affect children as young as 18 months, can last into adulthood and can cause death from heart failure if not treated. However in tests two-thirds of youngsters with the disease, who took the drug tocizilumab, were able to return to a normal life.

The trial involved 112 children and showed that after three months treatment with the drug almost three-quarters had shown a 70% improvement in their condition, while after a year two-thirds were able to show a 90% improvement. The emergence of the new drug gives hope to all sufferers of the condition who previously had to rely on anti-inflammatory drugs such as corticosteroids, which had significant side effects and were often ineffective at slowing down the progression of the disease.

Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool has treated 12 children with tocizilumab and all have made a good recovery. Dr Eileen Baildam, consultant paediatric rheumatologist at the hospital said: “I hope and expect it will be approved and I think it should be given to children as soon as they are diagnosed to limit the disability caused by this dreadful disease.”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2026135/Tocizilumab-Arthritis-drug-allows-bedridden-children-return-normal-life.html