Randomized, double-blind trial of anti-interferon-? antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis

Introduction: An increasing body of evidence indicates that interferon (IFN)-γ is an immunoregulator and may play a key role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objective: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of anti-IFN-γ in patients with active RA. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind trial, 30 patients with active RA were randomly assigned to receive intramuscular injections of anti-IFN-γ, anti-TNF-α, or placebo for 5 consecutive days. Results: Both anti-cytokines were significantly superior to placebo. Patients stopping treatment due to lack of efficacy included 1 receiving anti-TNF-α, 2 receiving anti-IFN-γ, and 9 receiving placebo. According to the physician's assessment, improvement was achieved by the 7th day in 9 patients receiving anti-TNF-α, 7 receiving anti-IFN-γ, and 2 receiving placebo. By day 28 the corresponding figures were 8, 8, and 0, respectively. Conclusion: Antibodies to IFN-γ could be a promising approach to treating RA, especially its treatment-resistant forms.