Skip to main content

Table 2 Orphan drugs for the treatment of rare rheumatologic disorders approved by the FDA between 1983 and 2013

From: Novel treatments for rare rheumatologic disorders: analysis of the impact of 30 years of the US orphan drug act

Compound

Approved indication according to FDA label

Pharmacologic category

Designation year

Approval year

Pivotal clinical trial

Reference

Study design

N

Age

Study duration

Main outcome measure

Pilocarpine hydrochloride

Treatment of dry mouth in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome

Cholinergic agonist

1992

1998

RCT

256

mean 57 years (24 – 85)

12 weeks

Global improvement of dry mouth

[26]

RCT

373

mean 55 years (21 – 84)

12 weeks

Global improvement of dry mouth

Etanercept

Reduction in signs and symptoms of moderately to severely active polyarticular-course juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in patients who have had an inadequate response to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitor

1998

1999

RCT

69

2 – 17 years

7 months

JIA definition of improvement criteria

[10]

Dexamethasone (intravitreal implant)

Treatment of non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye

Glucocorticoid

1998

2010

RCT

153

n/a

8 weeks

Vitreous haze score and 3-line improvement from baseline in best corrected visual acuity

[27]

Fluocinolone acetonide (intravitreal implant)

Treatment of chronic non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye

Glucocorticoid

2000

2005

RCT

108

n/a

3 years

Rate of recurrence of uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the study eye

[28]

RCT

116

n/a

3 years

Rate of recurrence of uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the study eye

Meloxicam

For relief of the signs and symptoms of pauciarticular or polyarticular course juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in patients 2 years of age or older

NSAID

2002

2005

RCT

n/a

≥2 years

12 weeks

ACR Pediatric 30

[29]

RCT

n/a

≥2 years

12 weeks

ACR Pediatric 30

Rilonacept

Treatment of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes

Interleukin inhibitor

2004

2008

RCT

47

n/a

24 weeks

CAPS symptom score

[30]

Adalimumab

Treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitor

2005

2008

RCT

171

4 – 17 years

32 weeks

ACR Pediatric 30

[31]

OL

32

2 – ≤ 4 years or ≥ 4 years weighing < 15 kg

120 weeks

Safety

Rituximab

For the use in combination with glucocorticoids for the treatment of patients with Wegener’s granulomatosis and microscopic polyangiitis

Selective immunosuppressant

2006

2011

RCT

197

≥15 years

18 months

Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score for Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

[16]

Colchicine

Treatment of familial Mediterranean fever

Mitotic poison

2007

2009

Evidence for the efficacy was derived from the published literature.

[32]

RCT

15

n/a

n/a

n/a

 

RCT

22

n/a

n/a

n/a

Canakinumab

Treatment of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes, in adults and children 4 years of age and older

Interleukin inhibitor

2007

2009

RCT

31

9 – 74 years

8 weeks

Minimal or better for physician’s assessment of disease activity, assessment of skin disease, and serum levels of C-Reactive Protein and Serum Amyloid A

[19]

OL

n/a

4 – 74 years

 

n/a

Canakinumab

Treatment of active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis in patients aged 2 through 16 years

Interleukin inhibitor

2008

2013

RCT

84

mean 8.5 years (2 – 20)

4 weeks

Adapted ACR Pediatric 30 and absence of fever

[19]

RCT

177

mean 8.5 years (2 – 20)

n/a

ACR Pediatric 30

Difluprednate (ophthalmic solution)

Treatment of endogenous anterior uveitis

Glucocorticoid

2008

2012

RCT

110

n/a

2 weeks

Difference in anterior chamber cell grade

[33]

RCT

90

n/a

2 weeks

Difference in anterior chamber cell grade

Anakinra

Treatment of neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease

Interleukin inhibitor

2010

2012

OL

43

0.7 – 46 years

60 months

disease-specific Diary Symptom Sum Score

[34]

Tocilizumab

Treatment of active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in patients 2 through 16 years of age

Interleukin inhibitor

2012

2013

RCT

188

2 – 17 years

24 weeks

JIA ACR 30 flare

[20]

  1. ACR Pediatric 30 American College of Rheumatology Pediatric 30 response, CAPS Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes, JIA Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, JIA ACR 30 flare Juvenile idiopathic arthritis American College of Rheumatology 30 flare, JRA Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, n/a not applicable or no information is provided in the FDA label, NSAID Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, OL Open label, RCT Randomized controlled trial, uncontrolled, SJIA Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis