There are a number of treatments currently available to manage RA. Some address the symptoms and others modify the course of the disease. The goals are to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and halt progression of damage and disability.

Treatments include:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): These manage the signs and symptoms of RA, such as pain, swelling and inflammation, but do not alter the course of the disease or slow the progression of joint destruction.
• Glucocorticoids (corticosteroids): These are anti-inflammatory drugs related to cortisol – a steroid produced naturally in the body – that work by countering inflammation.
• Traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs): These relieve symptoms and help control RA by delaying disease progression. While often effective in controlling symptoms, they fail to elicit an adequate response in many patients. These treatments are often used in combination with one another or with a biological agent to improve patient response.
• Biologics/biologic response modifiers (BRMs): These are genetically-engineered drugs that target specific chemicals in the immune system called cytokines, T cells or B cells. Examples of specific cytokines targeted by biologics include tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).
• Selective B cell therapy: The most recent biologic treatment is a therapeutic antibody that selectively targets B cells. B cells have been identified as a novel target for RA therapy as they play a key role in the inflammatory cascade of RA.