Rheumatoid Awareness Day 2025: Biomarkers in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Today is Rheumatoid Awareness Day, which we would like to honor by sharing one of our rheumatology teams’ publications from 2024.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation in multiple articular joints, causing pain, joint damage, and loss in joint function. Despite the successful development of disease-modifying therapies, the heterogeneity of RA means that a significant proportion of patients respond poorly to treatment. Utilizing personalized and predictive biomarkers can optimize treatment efficacy, safety, and cost.

This study explored the link between type VI collagen breakdown and the effectiveness of Tocilizumab (toci), a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). By measuring a specific fragment of degraded type VI collagen (C6M), researchers found that toci treatment reduced C6M levels compared to placebo and that patients who responded well to TCZ showed a greater reduction in C6M. Additionally, lower initial decreases in C6M were associated with a lower likelihood of a good treatment response.

These findings suggest that quantifying type VI collagen turnover could help predict which RA patients will benefit most from TCZ therapy, potentially leading to more personalized treatment approaches.

Article: Changes in type VI collagen degradation reflect clinical response to treatment in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with tocilizumab