Findings of a study published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism found that a new experimental medication known as oral dnaJP1 effectively gave relief to patients with rheumatoid arthritis and was well tolerated by them. The drug is a form of immunotherapy consisting of a peptide that previously was shown to contribute to inflammation. The scientist hypothesised that introducing the peptide might restore specific regulatory functions that prevent tissue damage and that are impaired in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
A total of 160 patients participated in the 6 month clinical trial in which half were given the medication and the other half unknowingly received a placebo. People who took the drug were more likely to benefit from a significant reduction in the percentage of immune cells that produced pro-inflammatory protein and showed improvement in symptoms. The researchers also found that the experimental drug could be used along with with the current rheumatoid arthritis drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). Further research is needed to validate this trial study.