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Cimzia achieves low disease activity in 76% of patients with PsA
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AMSTERDAM — More than 75% of patients with psoriatic arthritis treated with certolizumab pegol demonstrated low disease activity in a 4-year study, and nearly 60% achieved minimal disease activity, according to findings presented at the EULAR Annual Congress.
“A significant portion of the patients living with psoriatic arthritis who completed the RAPIDPsA study with certolizumab achieved meaningful and sustained results over 4 years as measured by multiple, widely recognized clinical standards,” Désirée van der Heijde, MD, PhD, of Leiden University Medical Center, told Healio Rheumatology. “Specifically, 76% achieved at least [Disease Activity Index for Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA)] low disease activity, with 44% also achieving DAPSA remission, 58% achieving minimal disease activity, and 29% achieving very low disease activity.”
To determine the proportion of patients with PsA treated with certolizumab pegol (Cimzia, UCB) who achieve DAPSA remission, low disease activity and minimal disease activity over the course of 4 years, van der Heijde and colleagues conducted the RAPID-PsA trial. The study included 409 participants and followed double-blind and placebo-controlled protocols to week 24, before becoming dose-blind to week 48, and then open-label to week 216. Participants had been diagnosed with PsA and had failed at least one disease-modifying antirheumatic drug.
Of the 409 participants, 273 were treated with certolizumab from week 0, of whom 90.8% completed the study through week 24, and 67% completed through week 216. Regimens included 200 mg every 2 weeks or 400 mg every 4 weeks, following a 400-mg loading dose at weeks 0, 2 and 4. Those who continued their assigned dose during the open-label period of the trial were presented as observed case and with imputation. Outcomes included DAPSA, as well as patients achieving DAPSA low disease activity, remission, minimal disease activity and very low disease activity to week 216.
According to van der Heijde and colleagues, the mean baseline DAPSA was 44.8. Among patients who completed to week 24, 29.7% achieved low disease activity, 25.3% achieved remission, 38.2% demonstrated minimal disease activity and 14.9% saw very low disease activity. By week 216, 31.9% of patients achieved low disease activity, 44.3% achieved remission, 57.8% had minimal disease activity and 29% demonstrated very low disease activity.
“These 4year data are the longestterm evidence to date of certolizumab’s potential value in the management of PsA,” van der Heijde said. “The fact that we saw consistently high levels of disease improvement and inactivity across an array of measures amounts to very compelling evidence for patients facing this progressive chronic disease.”
In addition, van der Heijde added that since stringent disease inactivity targets were achieved and maintained for 4 years, sustained efficacy can be expected in a significant proportion of patients who receive certolizumab.
“RAPIDPSA 4year data reflect the value of a certolizumab with demonstrated effectiveness for patients whose disease has not been adequately managed before,” she said. “The evidence is compelling and the potential impact on patients’ lives over the longterm is significant.” – by Jason Laday
Reference:
van der Heijde D. Abstract SAT0324. Presented at: EULAR Annual Congress; June 13-16, 2018; Amsterdam.
Disclosure: van der Heijde reports consulting fees from AbbVie, Amgen, Astellas,
AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, Daiichi,
Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche,
Sanofi-Aventis and UCB Pharma, and is the director of Imaging Rheumatology BV.