About a
year ago I’ve written about tanezumab in osteoarthritis [1]. Two years earlier
I’ve already voiced my concerns about the substance [2]. My conclusion in 2018
had been: “Until further notice I’ll stay skeptical about tanezumab in
osteoarthritis.”
And now
there’s a study by Th.J. Schnitzer and colleagues [3]: “Effect of Tanezumab on
Joint Pain, Physical Function, and Patient Global Assessment [PGA] of
Osteoarthritis Among Patients With Osteoarthritis of the Hip or Knee: A
Randomized Clinical Trial”. The authors described the significant improvement
in pain and PGA as “moderate”. Under results we find: “Rapidly progressive OA
occurred only in tanezumab-treated patients (2.5 mg: n = 5, 2.2%; 2.5/5 mg:
n = 1, 0.4%). The incidence of total joint replacements was 8 (3.5%), 16
(6.9%), and 4 (1.7%) in the tanezumab, 2.5 mg; tanezumab, 2.5/5 mg; and placebo
groups, respectively.”
In
conclusion the study shows an analgesic effect of tanezumab, but only against
placebo. What about naproxen, celecoxib, or oxycodone? Or even paracetamol?
“Rapidly progressive OA occurred only in tanezumab-treated patients”, and
therefore the incidence of total joint replacements was higher in the tanezumab
groups.
To sum
it up, I’m even more skeptical about seeing tanezumab as a drug in
osteoarthritis than I had been before.
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