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Updated: Aug 18, 2026
Du-Moxibustion in a Mouse Model of Ankylosing Spondylitis
Published on: October 27, 2023
Sustained durability and tolerability of etanercept in ankylosing spondylitis for 96 weeks
J C Davis1, D M van der Heijde, J Braun
1University of California, San Francisco, 533 Parnassus Ave Rm U 383 Box 0633, San Francisco, California, USA. jdavis@medicine.ucsf.edu
Objective:
To evaluate the continued safety and durability of clinical response in patients with ankylosing spondylitis receiving etanercept.
Methods:
277 patients who had participated in a previous randomised, double blind, placebo controlled 24 week trial were eligible to continue in this open label extension study. All patients who enrolled in the open label extension (n = 257) received subcutaneous etanercept 25 mg twice weekly for up to 72 weeks, for a combined 96 weeks of cumulative trial and open label experience. For the patients who had received etanercept for 24 weeks in the double blind trial, this represented almost 2 years of continuous etanercept treatment.
Results:
Patients continuing etanercept treatment had a sustained response for almost 2 years, with 74% achieving an ASsessments in Ankylosing Spondylitis 20% (ASAS 20) response after 96 weeks of etanercept treatment. Patients who had received placebo in the preceding double blind trial had similar responses, with 70% of patients attaining an ASAS 20 response after 24 weeks of etanercept treatment and 78% achieving an ASAS 20 response after 72 weeks. Improved spinal mobility was seen in both groups. Etanercept was well tolerated in patients treated for up to 96 weeks.
Conclusion:
The subcutaneous administration of twice weekly doses of etanercept provided sustained durability of response in the improvement of signs and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis for nearly 2 years.
