Search

Objectives: Oligoarticular psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is frequent but rarely studied. The objective was to assess the efficacy of apremilast in early oligoarticular PsA., Methods: FOREMOST (NCT03747939) was a phase 4 multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients had early (symptom duration ≤5 years) oligoarticular PsA (>1 but ≤4 swollen and >1 but ≤4 tender joints; 2-8 total active joints). Patients were randomised 2:1 to apremilast 30 mg two times per day or placebo for 24 weeks, with an early escape at week 16. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients at week 16 who achieved minimal disease activity (MDA)-Joints (modification of MDA mandating ≤1 swollen joint and ≤1 tender joint) based on sentinel joints (those affected at baseline) with a combination of non-responder imputation and multiple imputations. Exploratory analysis assessed all joints., Results: Of 308 patients randomised (apremilast: n=203; placebo: n=105), mean (SD) PsA duration was 9.9 (10.2) months, mean (SD) age was 50.9 (12.5) years and 39.9% of patients were using a conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug. MDA-Joints (sentinel joints (primary endpoint) and all joints) were achieved by significantly more patients with apremilast (33.9% and 21.3%) vs placebo (16.0% and 7.9%) at week 16 (p=0.0008 and nominal p=0.0028, respectively). Greater improvements in patient-reported outcomes, clinical disease activity and skin involvement were also seen with apremilast versus placebo., Conclusions: FOREMOST is the first randomised controlled trial designed for early oligoarticular PsA and showed apremilast improves clinical and patient-reported outcomes. This trial may inform the optimal management of PsA in these patients., Trial Registration Number: NCT03747939., Competing Interests: Competing interests: LG has received medical writing support and honoraria as part of advisory boards for this study. Outside this work: grants or contracts from AbbVie, Biogen, Lilly, Novartis and UCB; consulting fees from AbbVie, BMS, Celltrion, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB; honoraria for lectures from AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Celltrion, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB; support for attending meetings and/or travel from MSD, Novartis and Pfizer; and medical writing support from AbbVie, Janssen, Galapagos, and UCB. LCC: AbbVie, Amgen, Biogen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene Corporation, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, GSK, Janssen, Medac, MoonLake, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB–grant/research support, consulting fees, and/or speaker honoraria. LCC was supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). DDG: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB–grant/research support or consulting fees. JAA: AbbVie, Amgen–speakers bureau; AbbVie, Ardea Biosciences, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Centocor, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Human Genome Sciences, Janssen, Merck, Mesoblast, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi-Aventis, Takeda, UCB, Vertex–grant/research support. JV: Nothing to disclose. AP: AbbVie, Almirall-Hermal, Amgen, Biogen Idec, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, GSK, Eli Lilly, Galderma, Hexal, Janssen, LEO-Pharma, Medac, Merck Serono, Mitsubishi, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Tigercat Pharma, Regeneron, Roche, Sandoz Biopharmaceuticals, Schering-Plough, UCB Pharma–investigator/speaker/advisor. JFM: AbbVie, Arena, Avotres, Biogen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Dermavant, Eli Lilly, EMD, Janssen, LEO Pharma, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi, Serono, Sun, UCB–consultant and/or investigator. AK: Amgen, AbbVie, BMS, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Eli Lilly–grant/research support and consultant. JR, RW, MB, YK and CD: Employment by and stock ownership in Amgen. PJM: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Sun, UCB–grant/research support and consultant; Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline–consultant; AbbVie, Amgen, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB–speakers bureau., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ on behalf of EULAR.)

Background: There is significant unmet need in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who have inadequate response or intolerance to anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) treatment. Secukinumab, an anti-interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody, significantly improved signs and symptoms of AS in the MEASURE 2 study (NCT01649375)., Methods: Subjects with active AS (N=219) received secukinumab (150 or 75 mg) or placebo at baseline, weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4, and every 4 weeks thereafter. Randomisation was stratified by prior anti-TNF use: anti-TNF-naive or inadequate response/intolerance to one anti-TNF (anti-TNF-IR). The primary endpoint was Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society criteria (ASAS) 20 at week 16., Results: At week 16, 68.2% of anti-TNF-naive subjects treated with secukinumab 150 mg achieved ASAS20 compared with 31.1% treated with placebo (p<0.001). In the anti-TNF-IR group, 50.0% of subjects treated with secukinumab 150 mg achieved an ASAS20 response compared with 24.1% treated with placebo (p<0.05). Numerically greater improvements were observed with secukinumab than with placebo for most secondary endpoints. Clinical responses were sustained through week 52., Conclusions: Secukinumab 150 mg provided sustained improvements in signs and symptoms of AS in anti-TNF-naive and anti-TNF-IR subjects through 52 weeks of therapy., Trial Registration Number: NCT01649375., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.)

Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of secukinumab, a fully human monoclonal anti-interleukin-17A antibody, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Methods: Patients (n=237) with inadequate response to methotrexate were randomly assigned to receive monthly subcutaneous injections of secukinumab 25 mg, 75 mg, 150 mg, 300 mg or placebo. The primary endpoint was the American College of Rheumatology 20% response (ACR20) at week 16., Results: Demographics and baseline characteristics were comparable across all treatment groups. The primary efficacy endpoint was not achieved: the proportion of ACR20 responders at week 16 with secukinumab 25-300 mg was 36.0-53.7% versus placebo (34%). Disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28)-C-reactive protein (CRP) was a secondary endpoint and clinically relevant decreases with secukinumab 75-300 mg were reported versus placebo. Serum high sensitivity CRP levels at week 16 were significantly reduced with secukinumab 75 mg, 150 mg and 300 mg doses versus placebo. The safety profile of secukinumab was consistent with that seen with other biological agents. Most adverse events (AE) were mild to moderate in severity. Infections were slightly more frequent with secukinumab than placebo. Six serious AE were reported: secukinumab 75 mg (one), secukinumab 300 mg (four) and placebo (one)., Conclusions: ACR20 response rates differed between secukinumab 75 mg, 150 mg and 300 mg doses and placebo; however, the primary efficacy endpoint was not achieved. Greater decreases in DAS28 were observed with secukinumab 75 mg, 150 mg and 300 mg than placebo. There were no unexpected safety signals and no specific organ-related toxicities. Further trials with secukinumab in the treatment of RA are warranted.