ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 590

Expression Levels of Selected Genes May Predict Response to TNF Alpha Blockers or Rituximab in the Individual Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient

Daphna Paran1, Shlomo Pundak2, Yaniv Kotler2, Yoav Smith3, Uri Arad4, David Levartovsky5, Ilana Kaufman4, Victoria Furer4, Ofir Elalouf4, Adi Broyde1, Sara Pel4, Dan Caspi4 and Ori Elkayam4, 1Rheumatology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2Genefron Ltd. Jerusalem Israel, Jerusalem, Israel, 3Genomic Data analysis Hadassah Medical School Hebrew University, Jerusalem Israel, Jerusalem, Israel, 4Rheumatology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel, 5Rheumatology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Meeting: 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Date of first publication: September 29, 2015

Keywords: Biologic drugs, biomarkers and rheumatoid arthritis, treatment

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Session Information

Date: Sunday, November 8, 2015

Title: Rheumatoid Arthritis - Small Molecules, Biologics and Gene Therapy Poster I

Session Type: ACR Poster Session A

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose: Patients with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a variety of therapeutic options however tools to predict individual patients’ response are limited. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ability of a Genefron diagnostic kit to predict RA patient response to TNF α blockers or rituximab

Methods:

Sixteen RA patients were assessed before starting a biologic agent: TNFα blockers (n=10) or rituximab (n= 6). Patients were re-evaluated 3 months after starting treatment. Assessment included swollen joint count (SJC), tender joint count (TJC), patient assessment of disease activity and pain by VAS, physician assessment of disease activity by VAS and health assessment questionnaire (HAQ). Genefron personal diagnostic kits measure the expression level of selected genes (IFN related genes, ubiquitin, genes activating the innate system) by quantitative real time PCR (qRT PCR) aiming to predict treatment outcome for each patient. Blood samples were obtained from each patient before administration of the biologic agent (T0) and 20-24 hours later (T24). RNA was extracted from PBMC samples and cDNA was transcribed from the RNA samples by high capacity cDNA reverse transcription. qRT PCR results were obtained using selected gene probes. 

Results:

The TNFα blocker group included 9 females/1 male with a median age of 62±10 years and a disease duration of 9.5±16.2 years. A significant decrease in disease activity was observed after 3 months of treatment. Five patients achieved an ACR 20 response. Mean DAS 28 decreased from 5.6±0.9 to 4.3±1.4. The Genefron diagnostic kit predicted the response in 9 of 10 patients, resulting in a prediction accuracy of 90%, sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 100%. The rituximab group included 5 females/1male with a median age of 68±9.3 years and a disease duration of 9±8.5 years. Three patients achieved an ACR 20 response. The Genefron diagnostic kit predicted the response correctly in all 6 patients. 

Conclusion:

In this small group of patients, the Genefron diagnostic kit  predicted the response to TNFα blockers and rituximab in a high percentage of patients. These preliminary results require further confirmation in large scale studies to assess whether this kit may possibly aid in the selection of a suitable biological drug for the individual RA patient.


Disclosure: D. Paran, Genefron, 2; S. Pundak, Genefron, 1; Y. Kotler, Genefron, 1; Y. Smith, Genefron, 1; U. Arad, None; D. Levartovsky, None; I. Kaufman, None; V. Furer, None; O. Elalouf, None; A. Broyde, None; S. Pel, None; D. Caspi, None; O. Elkayam, Genefron, 2.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Paran D, Pundak S, Kotler Y, Smith Y, Arad U, Levartovsky D, Kaufman I, Furer V, Elalouf O, Broyde A, Pel S, Caspi D, Elkayam O. Expression Levels of Selected Genes May Predict Response to TNF Alpha Blockers or Rituximab in the Individual Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2015; 67 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/expression-levels-of-selected-genes-may-predict-response-to-tnf-alpha-blockers-or-rituximab-in-the-individual-rheumatoid-arthritis-patient/. Accessed .
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/expression-levels-of-selected-genes-may-predict-response-to-tnf-alpha-blockers-or-rituximab-in-the-individual-rheumatoid-arthritis-patient/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology