Excerpt
To the Editor:
Etanercept is a recombinant tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) receptor immunoglobulin fusion protein. Its anti-TNF properties have gained approval for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), juvenile RA, psoriatic arthritis (PsA), Crohn’s disease, and ankylosing spondylitis1. Etanercept binds specifically to TNF and blocks its interaction with surface TNF receptors. It inhibits binding of both TNF-α and TNF-β to cell-surface TNF receptors, making TNF biologically inactive. Etanercept also modulates biological responses that are induced or regulated by TNF, including expression of adhesion molecules responsible for leukocyte migration, serum levels of cytokines, and serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3.
Data demonstrate a…
