S Banerjee

The Efficacy and Safety of Clazakizumab, an Anti-Interleukin-6 Monoclonal Antibody, in a Phase IIb Study of Adults With Active Psoriatic Arthritis.

To evaluate the efficacy of clazakizumab, a monoclonal antibody with high affinity and specificity for the interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) cytokine, in psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Efficacy and safety of abatacept, a T-cell modulator, in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III study in psoriatic arthritis

Objectives To assess the efficacy and safety of abatacept, a selective T-cell costimulation modulator, in a phase III study in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods This study randomised patients (1:1) with active PsA (~60% with prior exposure to a tumour necrosis factor inhibitor) to blinded weekly subcutaneous abatacept 125 mg (n=213) or placebo (n=211) for 24 weeks, followed by open-label subcutaneous abatacept. Patients without ≥20% improvement in joint counts at week 16 were switched to open-label abatacept. The primary end point was the proportion of patients with ≥20% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR20) criteria at week 24. Results Abatacept significantly increased ACR20 response versus placebo at week 24 (39.4% vs 22.3%; p<0.001). Although abatacept numerically increased Health Assessment Questionnaire–Disability Index response rates (reduction from baseline ≥0.35) at week 24, this was not statistically significant (31.0% vs 23.7%; p=0.097). The benefits of abatacept were seen in ACR20 responses regardless of tumour necrosis factor inhibitor exposure and in other musculoskeletal manifestations, but significance could not be attributed due to ranking below Health Assessment Questionnaire–Disability Index response in hierarchical testing. However, the benefit on psoriasis lesions was modest. Efficacy was maintained or improved up to week 52. Abatacept was well tolerated with no new safety signals. Conclusions Abatacept treatment of PsA in this phase III study achieved its primary end point, ACR20 response, showed beneficial trends overall in musculoskeletal manifestations and was well tolerated. There was only a modest impact on psoriasis lesions. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01860976 (funded by Bristol-Myers Squibb).

The Efficacy and Safety of Subcutaneous Clazakizumab in Patients With Moderate-to-Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis and an Inadequate Response to Methotrexate: Results From a Multinational, Phase IIb, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo/Active-Controlled, Dose-Ranging Study

Clazakizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to the interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) cytokine. This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy and safety of clazakizumab in combination with methotrexate (MTX) or clazakizumab monotherapy versus MTX alone in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and an inadequate response to MTX.

SAT0468 Presence of poor prognostic factors may predict response to abatacept in patients with active psoriatic arthritis: results from a post hoc analysis from a phase iii study

Background Abatacept, a selective T-cell co-stimulation modulator, significantly increased ACR20 response and had an overall beneficial effect on musculoskeletal symptoms in patients (pts) with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in the Phase III Active pSoriaTic athritis RAndomizEd triAl (ASTRAEA, NCT01860976).1 Factors that may predict responses to abatacept were explored in this post hoc analysis. Objectives To evaluate the relationship between baseline characteristics and abatacept response in a post hoc analysis of ASTRAEA. Methods Pts were randomized (1:1) to SC abatacept 125 mg weekly or placebo for 24 weeks in this trial. Pts without >20% improvement in joint counts at Week 16 were switched to open-label abatacept (early escape). ACR20 response rate in pts stratified by baseline variables was investigated in a multivariate analysis and odds ratios (ORs) generated to identify differences in response. Using a cut-off of OR 1.2, indicating pt subgroups in whom abatacept appeared to have a meaningful treatment benefit, baseline variables were further investigated in a univariate analysis and estimated differences calculated. Results Of 424 pts enrolled, 213 received abatacept and 211 placebo. In abatacept-treated pts, the multivariate model showed a difference in ACR20 response (OR >1.2) for baseline CRP (>upper limit of normal [ULN] vs ≤ULN; OR 1.346 [95% CI 0.668, 2.712]), DAS28 (CRP) (>5.1 vs ≤5.1; 1.489 [0.782, 2.836]), dactylitis (>0 vs 0; 1.372 [0.708, 2.659]), and median baseline erosions (≥3 vs <3; 1.924 [1.032, 3.587]). In placebo-treated pts, the OR was >1.2 for dactylitis only (1.406 [0.619, 3.193]). These factors, which have been identified previously as indicating poor prognosis in PsA, were balanced between treatment arms at baseline. In the univariate model by poor prognostic factors, the differences in ACR20 response rates with abatacept treatment vs placebo in distinct subgroups were numerically greater in pts who were positive for these prognostic factors at baseline than in those who were not (Figure). Conclusions These findings identified subgroups of pts with PsA with certain baseline characteristics in whom abatacept is most likely to be effective. The predictive factors identified are aligned with poor prognostic factors in the EULAR and Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) guidelines,2,3 and may indicate pts with the highest unmet medical need. References Mease P, et al. Arthritis Rheumatol 2016;68(Suppl 10):[Abstract 1041]. Gossec L, et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2016;75:499–510. Coates L, et al. Arthritis Rheumatol 2016;68:1060–71. Disclosure of Interest P. Mease Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Sun, UCB, Consultant for: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Crescendo Biosciences, Corrona, Demira, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Sun, UCB, Zynerba, Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Crescendo Biosciences, Genentech, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, I. McInnes Grant/research support from: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Janssen, UCB, Consultant for: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, AbbVie, UCB, V. Strand Consultant for: AbbVie, Amgen Corporation, AstraZeneca, Biogen Idec, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, Celltrion, Corrona, Crescendo Biosciences/Myriad Genetics, EMD Serono, Genentech/Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Samsung, Sandoz, Sanofi, UCB, O. FitzGerald Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Consultant for: AbbVie, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Janssen, Novartis, UCB, Lilly, H. Ahmad Shareholder of: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol-Myers Squibb, A. Johnsen Employee of: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, AbbVie, UCB, J. Ye Shareholder of: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol-Myers Squibb, S. Banerjee Shareholder of: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol-Myers Squibb

Subcutaneous Abatacept in Patients With Polyarticular-Course Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Results From a Phase III Open-Label Study

To investigate the pharmacokinetics, effectiveness, and safety of subcutaneous (SC) abatacept treatment over 24 months in patients with polyarticular‐course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).