Americans who have run out of options to treat
severe rheumatoid arthritis won a new therapy Tuesday: A machine that
filters their blood for antibodies that may contribute to their
painful, swollen joints. The Prosorba column, made by Cypress
Bioscience, works much like dialysis. Once a week for 12 weeks, a
patient's blood is slowly removed, the plasma separated and treated
by the Prosorba machine. The blood is then remixed and retransfused
back into the body. The machine offers a 30% chance of improving the
swelling and pain that cripples patients' joints, Food and Drug
Administration officials said in approving Prosorba.