ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 0812

Real-World Utilization of Infliximab (IFX) and Its Biosimilars in Patients (Pts) with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Since the First Biosimilar Approval in the US

Simon Helfgott1, Janna Radtchenko2, Nehad Soloman3, Kent Kwas Huston4, Jasvinder Singh5 and Colin Edgerton6, 1BWH- HMS, Boston, MA, 2Trio Health, Louisville, CO, 3Arizona Arthritis & Rheumatology Associates, P.C., Peoria, AZ, 4Kansas City Physician Partners, Kansas City, MO, 5University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 6Articularis Healthcare, Summerville, SC

Meeting: ACR Convergence 2020

Keywords: infliximab, rheumatoid arthritis

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Session Information

Date: Saturday, November 7, 2020

Title: RA – Treatments Poster II: Comparative Effectiveness, Biosimilars, Adherence & the Real World

Session Type: Poster Session B

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose: Biologics have revolutionized the treatment of autoimmune diseases, though costs and payer restrictions have limited who are treated and when these agents are used.  Potentially lower cost biosimilars have been developed and FDA-approved, although only 2 TNF inhibitors have been made available to pts. Here, we describe utilization and characteristics of pts receiving IFX and its biosimilars in US community rheumatology practices.

Methods: Electronic medical records data from the American Rheumatology Network (ARN) – Trio Health Rheumatology registry was used for the study. The ARN is a physician-led and owned organization with over 200 practicing rheumatologists that supports some of the largest independent practices in the US. Pts with RA diagnosis who initiated or switched to IFX or biosimilars since December 2016 were selected for analysis. Differences between treatment groups were assessed using t-test for continuous variables and chi-square test for categorical variables. Logistic regression model was used to evaluate outcome remission/low disease activity at 6 mo accounting for demographic and treatment characteristics. Time to treatment discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier method.

Results: 3156 pts met study criteria; 1972 (62%) were on IFX (775 [39%] as monotherapy) and 1184 (38%) received biosimilars (306 [26%] as monotherapy). Of pts on biosimilars, 350 (30%) switched between different biosimilars or IFX and were removed from the analysis. The remaining 834 pts were treated with infliximab-dyyb (574 [69%]) or infliximab-abda (260 [31%]).

There were no differences by age and gender between IFX and each biosimilar group [Table 1]. Compared to pts on biosimilars, pts receiving IFX had longer follow-up, fewer prior DMARD or biologic regimens, and longer duration of treatment with IFX. Pts on biosimilars were less likely to be commercially insured and more likely to be on Medicaid compared to IFX. IFX pts were more likely to be in remission/low disease activity at treatment initiation and at 6 mo since treatment initiation compared to pts on biosimilars; there were no differences between biosimilar groups. IFX pts had smaller improvement from baseline (BSL) to 6-mo CDAI compared to pts on biosimilars.  

Accounting for age, payer, regimen, steroid use, duration of therapy, number of prior regimens, and BSL disease activity status, variables significantly impacting the outcome were BSL disease activity, regimen duration, and use of steroids but not choice of a biologic [Table 2].

Median time to treatment discontinuation was not statistically different among groups [Figure 1]. 

Conclusion: Among RA pts treated with IFX and its biosimilars there were differences in demographic and BSL clinical characteristics. IFX was used earlier in the treatment journey than biosimilars with higher proportion of pts in remission at BSL and last observation. Time to treatment discontinuation was similar among groups. After accounting for other pt and treatment characteristics, regimen choice (use of a particular biosimilar vs IFX) was not significantly associated with treatment success at 6 mo since regimen initiation.

Table 1. Demographic and clinical characteristics

Figure 1. Time to Treatment Discontinuation (months)

Table 2. Logistic regression results: outcome remission/low disease activity at 6 months since regimen initiation


Disclosure: S. Helfgott, Abbvie, 5; J. Radtchenko, Gilead, 2, ViiV, 2; N. Soloman, Horizon, 5, 8, Amgen, 2, 8, Abbvie, 2, 5, 8, UCB, 2, 5, 8, Novartis, 5, 8, Jannsen, 2, 8, Pfizer, 8, Lilly, 2, GSK, 2, 5, 8; K. Huston, None; J. Singh, Crealta/Horizon, 1, Medisys, 1, Fidia, 1, UBM LLC, 1, Trio health, 1, Medscape, 1, WebMD, 1, Clinical Care options, 1, Clearview healthcare partners, 1, Putnam associates, 1, Focus forward, 1, Navigant consulting, 1, Spherix, 1, Practice Point communications, 1, the National Institutes of Health, 1, the American College of Rheumatology, 1, Amarin pharmaceuticals, 1, Viking therapeutics, 1, OMERACT, 1; C. Edgerton, Sandoz, 5.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Helfgott S, Radtchenko J, Soloman N, Huston K, Singh J, Edgerton C. Real-World Utilization of Infliximab (IFX) and Its Biosimilars in Patients (Pts) with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Since the First Biosimilar Approval in the US [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2020; 72 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/real-world-utilization-of-infliximab-ifx-and-its-biosimilars-in-patients-pts-with-rheumatoid-arthritis-ra-since-the-first-biosimilar-approval-in-the-us/. Accessed .
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to ACR Convergence 2020

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/real-world-utilization-of-infliximab-ifx-and-its-biosimilars-in-patients-pts-with-rheumatoid-arthritis-ra-since-the-first-biosimilar-approval-in-the-us/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology