Arthritis Results
Spartacus over time
The Spartacus project aims to revolutionise the treatment of spondyloarthritis (SpA), a form of chronic arthritis. The conventional step-up treatment strategy starts with anti-inflammatory or anti-rheumatic drugs followed by a second-line, more expensive biological drug. The consortium build by VIB, UGent, UZ Gent, KU Leuven, UZ Leuven, the BeGiant consortium and UMC Maastricht aims to validate earlier results indicating the advantages of a short, early treatment with this biologicals. The project strives to identify biomarkers for responders vs non-responders and delineate the ideal treatment window-of-opportunity. Additionally, the risks and benefits of this new treatment regimen will be evaluated in a health-economics analysis.
This project will finish soon but already generated some promising results:
A clinical trial in which patients receive either the conventional treatment or the biologic was started. Joint biopsies are collected in a standardized manner and subjected to immunological analyses. Clinical guidelines for treatment of SpA with biologicals will be proposed, concerning timing (start and end) and applicability of the treatment.
Modalities for data sharing of the extensive sample- and data collection are already in place.
The health-economics model to evaluate the costs and benefits of the new treatment is set up. Conclusions of the health-economic analysis will be taken along for the evaluation of potential reimbursement.
The consortium strives to create awareness about this chronic disease and the potential treatments. Besides regular contacts with different clinicians, also patients' feedback was collected during a round-the-table discussion.