In the trial, a new drug proved safe and effective for hard-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis patients. A national organization of senior researchers named the trial one of the top 10 for 2016.
April 18, 2017
Mark Genovese led a multicenter clinical trial of a drug for rheumatoid arthritis sufferers for whom other therapies had failed.
Norbert von der Groeben
A clinical trial led by Mark Genovese, MD, Stanford professor of immunology and rheumatology, has been recognized by the Clinical Research Forum as one of the top 10 clinical studies of 2016.
The studies reflect major work being conducted at nearly 60 research institutions and hospitals across the United States, as well as at partner institutions from around the world.
Known as the RA-BEACON trial, the multicenter study headed by Genovese, who holds the James W. Raitt, MD, Professorship, tested a new rheumatoid arthritis drug, baricitinib, in more than 500 patients for whom other therapies had failed. The new drug was found to be safe and effective, significantly improving the conditions of more than 50 percent of the patients within 12 weeks. The improvements seen in all groups of patients treated with baricitinib largely remained at 24 weeks.
The Clinical Research Forum is dedicated to providing leadership to the clinical and translational research enterprise and to promoting understanding and support for clinical research and its impact on health and health care.
The organization conducts annual competitions to determine the 10 outstanding research accomplishments in the United States. Winners are chosen based on the degree of innovation and novelty involved in the advancement of science; contribution to the understanding of human disease or physiology, or both; and potential impact upon the diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment of disease.
The awards were presented April 18 at a ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Members of the RA-BEACON research team are visiting congressional representatives on Capitol Hill on April 19 to brief them on findings of the trial and the critical and necessary role of federal funding for clinical research.
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