2005, a pivotal year for Axis-Shield, with strong growth and profitability

With developments in disease-modifying drugs and biologic agents have revolutionized the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, enabling physicians to slow disease progression and prevent some joint destruction, the susequent global market for rheumatoid arthritis is expected to reach $15 billion by 2009 (and I have seen even higher figures). Obviously diagnosis and the therapeutic drug treatment of R A will be the other underlying element. So Something to cogitate over Christmas as Anit-CCP nears automation and inclusion on the AxSym system (not to mention other automated analysers)

CONCLUDING REMARKS AND FUTURE
PERSPECTIVES
Taken together, the data discussed in the present review
indicate that anti-CCP represents a superior serological
marker for RA. Anti-CCP is (i) highly specific for the
disease, (ii) able to distinguish RA from other arthritides
that mimic RA, (iii) present in the majority of patients
(good sensitivity), (iv) detectable very early in the disease,
and (v) helpful in predicting disease outcome. Its prognostic
potential may aid the rheumatologist in reaching decisions
on the most optimal treatment strategies. Moreover, anti-
CCP can be detected with a reproducible and easily
performed ELISA, the CCP2 test, which is important from
the perspective of laboratory management.

The observations that anti-CCP autoantibodies often can
be detected years before the disease becomes manifest,
suggest that the initial trigger for the development of RA
may occur long before the appearance of symptoms.
Monitoring anti-CCP activity in individuals that may have
an increased risk for the development of RA, e.g. based
upon genetic factors, may eventually allow earlier treatment
of anti-CCP positive individuals in which the antibody
titers are increasing. As a consequence, the lag time between
first visit to the rheumatology clinic and start of therapeutic
intervention may be importantly reduced and joint erosion
may already be inhibited at the very early stages (Fig. 1).

Full article, free in Current Rheumatology Reviews, Volume 1, No. 1, 2005 -



Even as the major players modifying drugs and biologic agents come off patent, diagnosis and therapeutics will still be required for any generic versions, so it appears that a large and long term market is only just getting underway for Anti-CCP. It will also be interesting to see how the treatment/marketing of a specific drug might be associated to a test for Anti-CCP, theranostics -


All...Have a enjoyable and peaceful Christmas, and not least a healthy and prosperous new year.

Best regards, wan