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Abstract Number: 436

Efficacy and Safety Study Of a Sequential Therapy Of Tocilizumab and, If Initially Inadequately Responded To Tocilizumab, Followed By Rituximab In Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inadequate Response To Traditional Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (MIRAI)-Interim Analysis 2

Thomas Doerner1, Hans Peter Tony2, Hendrik Schulze-Koops3, Jörg Kaufmann4, Peter Kaestner5, Herbert Kellner6, Reiner Kurthen7, S. Wagner8, Marvin A. Peters9 and Christof Iking-Konert10, 1Dept Int Med (Charite), Humdoldt Univ, Berlin, Germany, 2Rheumatology/Immunology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany, 3Division of Rheumatology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany, 4Ambulant Centres for Rheumatology, Rheumatologist, Ludwigsfelde, Germany, 5Outpatient Department of Rheumatology, Ambulantes Rheumazentrum Erfurt, Germany,, Erfurt, Germany, 6Centre for Inflammatory Joint Diseases, Munich, Germany, 7Rheumapraxis, Aachen, Germany, 8Internistische Schwerpunktpraxis für Rheumatologie, Halle, Germany, 9Roche Pharma AG, Grenzach-Wyhlen, Germany, 10Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

Meeting: ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting 2013

Keywords: IL-6, remission, rheumatoid arthritis, rituximab and tocilizumab, treatment

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Session Information

Title: Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment - Small Molecules, Biologics and Gene Therapy I

Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)

Background/Purpose:

The MIRAI study evaluates a sequential exposure to two defined biologics under rigorous study conditions within a homogeneous population of patients (pts) who inadequately responded to traditional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD-IR). This study investigates the early response to the IL-6 inhibitor tocilizumab (TCZ) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients; non-responders to TCZ will subsequently receive 1 cycle of rituximab (RTX; anti-CD20 therapy).

Methods:

We report the results of a 2nd interim analysis (first-pat-in: MAR-2011; last-pat-in: FEB-2013) of MIRAI (NCT01332994), an ongoing, German, multicenter, two-arm, open-label, phase-III-study in DMARD-IR pts with moderate to severe active RA, DAS28>3.2, biological naïve and on ≥1 concomitant traditional DMARD. All pts received 4 TCZ infusions (8 mg/kg, q4w; 1st treatment period) until week 16. Partial responders (ΔDAS28<1.2 or DAS28≥2.6 and ≤3.2) received further 4 TCZ infusions (8 mg/kg, q4w); non-responders (ΔDAS28<1.2 and DAS28>3.2) received a subsequent biological treatment with RTX (1g each at weeks 16 and 18). All pts with a 2nd treatment period (TCZ or RTX) will complete study at week 32. Primary endpoint: patients in remission (DAS28<2.6) at week 16. Secondary endpoints include: DAS28<2.6 at week 32, ACR response, adverse events (AE).

Results:

510 pts (ITT-Main; mean age: 56 years, females 68.2%) entered the first treatment period and received TCZ. All pts had previously received DMARDs (mostly methotrexate, 412 pts). 432 pts (85%) completed week 16, 155 pts (30%) completed week 32. At week 16, 186 pts (36%) initiated a second TCZ treatment period (ITT-TCZ2) and 24 pts (4.7%) received a subsequent RTX therapy (ITT-RTX). At week 16, efficacy parameters had improved considerably in the ITT-Main population. At week 32, further improvement was seen in all efficacy parameters under continued TCZ therapy (ITT-TCZ2); up to now, the few pts who received a subsequent RTX therapy showed slight improvements (ITT-RTX).

Parameter

Baseline

Week 16

Week 32

ITT-Main

DAS28, mean ± SD

5.7 ± 1.0 (N=507)

2.6 ±1.3 (N=423)

2.7 ± 1.4 (N=150)

VAS DA pat, mean ± SD

63.3 ± 20.6 (N=509)

26.3 ± 22.5 (N=429)

28.9 ± 25.3 (N=155)

SJC28, mean ± SD

8.3 ± 4.9 (N=509)

3.2 ± 3.6 (N=425)

3.0 ± 3.9 (N=152)

VAS pain, mean ± SD

63.5 ± 21.1 (N=509)

27.2 ± 22.9 (N=429)

29.1 ± 24.6 (N=155)

HAQ-DI, mean ± SD

1.25 ± 0.66 (N=428)

0.73 ± 0.67 (N=292)

0.83 ± 0.70 (N=101)

ITT-TCZ2

DAS28, mean ± SD

6.0 ± 0.9 (N=186)

3.2 ± 0.7 (N=184)

2.5 ± 1.3 (N=131)

VAS DA pat, mean ± SD

66.9 ± 19.2 (N=186)

30.3 ± 20.5 (N=186)

26.8 ± 24.0 (N=136)

SJC28, mean ± SD

9.4 ± 4.8 (N=186)

4.1 ± 3.2 (N=185)

2.7 ±3.5 (N=133)

VAS pain, mean ± SD

66.2 ± 19.2 (N=186)

31.2 ± 20.6 (N=186)

27.0 ± 23.4 (N=136)

HAQ-DI, mean ± SD

1.27 ± 0.66 (N=174)

0.81 ± 0.66 (N=124)

0.77 ± 0.69 (N=88)

ITT-RTX

DAS28, mean ± SD

5.7 ± 1.0 (N=24)

5.2 ± 1.2 (N=24)

4.2 ± 1.6 (N=18)

VAS DA pat, mean ± SD

64.6 ± 18.3 (N=24)

58.5 ± 22.6 (N=24)

43.8 ± 31.0 (N=18)

SJC28, mean ± SD

9.5 ± 6.4 (N=24)

9.0 ± 6.1 (N=24)

4.7 ± 5.7 (N=18)

VAS pain, mean ± SD

67.6 ± 17.2 (N=24)

57.6 ± 22.7 (N=24)

45.1 ± 28.9 (N=18)

HAQ-DI, mean ± SD

1.31 ± 0.64 (N=20)

1.49 ± 0.75 (N=17)

1.26 ± 0.70 (N=12)

Data are presented “as-observed”.

DAS = Disease Activity Score; HAQ-DI = Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index; SD = Standard Deviation; SJC28 = Swollen Joint Count (28 joints); VAS = Visual Analogue Scale.

The total incidence of AEs/serious AEs with a suspected causal relationship to treatment is 30.4%/4.1%. SAEs suspected to be causally related to TCZ include 2 cases each of diverticulitis, pneumonia and elevated liver enzymes; 1 case each of atrial fibrillation; neutropenia plus leucopenia; thrombopenia. One death with a suspected causal relationship to TCZ was reported (fall plus craniocerebral injury). Up to now, no SAEs suspected to be causally related to RTX have been reported.

Conclusion:

Early response to TCZ was demonstrated by a substantial improvement in all efficacy parameters within the first 16 weeks of treatment. Initially partial responders to TCZ benefited from a continued TCZ therapy. Notably, the proportion of TCZ non-responders who received a subsequent RTX-treatment was low.


Disclosure:

T. Doerner,

Roche Pharmaceutical, Chugai Pharma,

5,

Roche Pharmaceuticals, Chugai Pharma,

9;

H. P. Tony,

Roche Pharmaceuticals,

5;

H. Schulze-Koops,

Roche Pharmaceuticals,

5,

Roche Pharmaceuticals,

8;

J. Kaufmann,
None;

P. Kaestner,
None;

H. Kellner,
None;

R. Kurthen,
None;

S. Wagner,
None;

M. A. Peters,

Roche Pharmaceuticals,

3;

C. Iking-Konert,

Roche Pharmaceuticals,

5.

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