Cypress Treatment OKd for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Cypress Bioscience Inc. said it received government clearance to sell a blood-filtering treatment used to ease the pain and inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

The Food and Drug Administration clearance frees the company to try to carve a niche in the growing rheumatoid arthritis market, which analysts say could top $2 billion.

For rheumatoid patients--40% of whom are debilitated so quickly they cannot work within six years--the device could offer a crucial new option.

“It has restored my life,” said Merrill Meyer of Phoenix, who participated in company trials.

Cypress announced the FDA approval after markets closed Tuesday. Shares in San Diego-based Cypress rose as much as $1.06 to $5 in Nasdaq trading before markets opened Wednesday. They finished the day off 28 cents at $3.66.

The FDA cleared Prosorba for use in rheumatoid arthritis patients who haven’t been helped by or are intolerant of drugs used to treat the disease.