Experience with Adalimumab Biosimilar in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis at our District General Hospital in Shropshire, United Kingdom

Abstract

The main objective of this article was to share our experience with Idacio (adalimumab biosimilar) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). We collected prospective data from the first 50 patients who were prescribed Idacio from September 2020 to August 2021. We collected their efficacy, and safety data from their subsequent visits up to 6 months. All the adverse events were recorded in our datasheet. As patients were not directly involved in the study, ethics committee approval was not needed for this study. Out of 25 RA patients, an adequate response was noted in 13 (54.2%) patients. Eleven (44%) of RA patients did not have any response to Idacio and one patient lost to follow-up due to moving out of the region hence account was closed for Idacio. Eight (57%) out of 14 patients with AS had an adequate response after Idacio treatment. Four (44.4%) out of nine patients with PsA had an adequate response and two patients with PsA lost to follow-up due to a change of address after only 1 month of treatment. Side effects noted in these 50 patients were facial rash in one patient, two patients had neutropenia (none of them had to stop the drug) and two patients had injection site pain initially on the first two injections. The patient with a severe facial rash had to stop the treatment. Idacio therapy was safe and effective in our cohort of patients with few side effects.