| 565 | For the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients who have severe active disease (greater than or equal to 5 swollen joints and rheumatoid factor positive and/or, anti-CCP positive, and/or radiographic evidence of rheumatoid arthritis) and have experienced failure, intolerance, or have a contraindication to adequate trials of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) treatment regimens, such as one of the following combinations of treatments:
A. i) Methotrexate (20mg/week) for at least 3 months, AND
ii) leflunomide (20mg/day) for at least 3 months, in addition to
iii) an adequate trial of at least one combination of DMARDs for 3 months; OR
B. i) Methotrexate (20mg/week) for at least 3 months, AND
ii) leflunomide in combination with methotrexate for at least 3 months; OR
C. i) Methotrexate (20mg/week), sulfasalazine (2g/day) and hydroxychloroquine (400mg/day) for at least 3 months. (Hydroxychloroquine is based by weight up to 400mg per day.)
Maintenance/Renewal:
After 12 months of treatment, maintenance therapy is funded for patients with objective evidence of at least a 20 percent reduction in swollen joint count and a minimum of improvement in 2 swollen joints over the previous year.
For renewals beyond the second year, the patient must demonstrate objective evidence of preservation of treatment effect.
Therapy must be prescribed by a rheumatologist or a physician with expertise in rheumatology.
The recommended dosing regimen is 11mg once daily. |
