Rheumatoid Arthritis

- RA is a chronic debilitating autoimmune and inflammatory disorder that mainly affects joints.
- Preliminary studies suggested that oral administration of cartilage-derived collagen type II was clinically beneficial and safe in patients with RA.
- Two hundred seventy-four patients with active RA were randomized to receive placebo or different dosages of oral cartilage-derived collagen type II for 24 weeks. At the lowest tested dose, positive effects were observed in the collagen treatment group, and the therapeutic agent had no side effects.
- RA causes cartilage and bone erosion by invading fibrovascular tissue.