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Actemra shows efficacy in noninfectious uveitis
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SAN FRANCISCO — Using a composite endpoint scoring system, intravenous Actemra showed efficacy in noninfectious uveitis, according to research from the STOP-Uveitis study presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting.
Muhammad Hassan, MD, from Byers Eye Institute, Spencer Center for Vision Research, Stanford University, and colleagues randomly assigned patients with noninfectious uveitis to receive 4 mg/kg (G1) or 8 mg/kg (G2) of IV tocilizumab every 4 weeks for 6 months to determine the efficacy of IV Actemra (tocilizumab, Genentech) using a composite endpoint scoring system.
“The composite scoring system we propose included best corrected visual activity, intraocular inflammation, central retinal thickness, fluorescein angiography score and steroid dose taper,” he said during the presentation. “Each of the parameters were given three possible scores: a score of improvement was plus 1, no change was 0, and worsening was negative 1 based on the criteria.”
Researchers analyzed 37 eyes. Of these, 31 (83.8%) demonstrated a positive response – 14 eyes in the 4 mg/kg group and 17 eyes in the 8 mg/kg group – three experienced treatment failure (in the 4 mg/kg group only) and three remained stable (one in the 4 mg/kg group; two in the 8 mg/kg group), according to the results. Additionally, both groups showed similar outcomes (P < .05).
“A significant number of patients for each individual parameter were in the ‘no change’ criteria so this highlights the importance that any individual parameter to assess outcomes in these patients may not be the best possible thing; however, using a composite scoring system which involves all of these parameters may actually give us a good idea of how the drug is doing,” Hassan said. – by Savannah Demko
Reference: Hassan M, et al. Composite endpoint outcomes of the STOP-Uveitis study: Evaluating the safety, tolerability and efficacy of tocilizumab in patients with noninfectious uveitis. Presented at: American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting; Oct. 11-15, 2019; San Francisco.
Disclosure: Hassan reports no relevant financial disclosures.