Safety and Efficacy Study of M2951 in Participants With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Phase IIa Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of M2951 in Subjects With Rheumatoid Arthritis on Stable Methotrexate Therapy

M2951 is an investigational drug under evaluation for treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. The purpose of the study is to assess the efficacy of M2951 in participants with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) currently treated with stable dose of methotrexate (MTX).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Placebo; Drug: M2951; Drug: M2951

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 65
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Darmstadt, Germany
    • Merck KGaA Communication Center
• United States
  • Massachusetts
    • Billerica, Massachusetts, United States
      • U.S. Medical Information

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men or women 18 to 75 years of age at the time of informed consent signature
• Confirmed diagnosis of RA according to 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) RA classification criteria of at least 6 months duration
• Positive RF and/or anti-CCP (anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide)
• Persistently active disease defined as greater than equal to (>=) 6 swollen joints (of 66 counted) and >= 6 tender joints (of 68 counted)
• High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) >= 3.6 milligram per liter (mg/L)
• Treatment for >= 12 weeks with 10 to 25 mg/week MTX at a stable dose for at least 4 weeks prior to dosing with the investigational medicinal product (IMP) and maintained throughout the trial
• Women of childbearing potential must use acceptable methods of contraception for 4 weeks prior to randomization, throughout the trial, and for 90 days after the last dose of IMP. For the purposes of this trial
• Females who are postmenopausal (age-related amenorrhea >= 12 consecutive months and increased follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH] greater than (>) 40 milli international units per milliliter [mIU/mL]), or who have undergone hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy are exempt from pregnancy testing. If necessary to confirm postmenopausal status, an FSH will be drawn at Screening
• Acceptable contraception is defined as use of either 2 barrier methods (eg, female diaphragm and male condom), or 1 barrier method in conjunction with one of the following: spermicide, an intrauterine device, or hormonal contraceptives (implant or oral)
• Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test at the Screening Visit and a negative urine pregnancy test at Day 1/randomization before dosing.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Use of oral corticosteroids > 10 mg daily prednisone equivalent, use of injectable corticosteroids, or change in dose of corticosteroids within 2 weeks prior to Screening or during Screening
• Initiation or change in dose for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) within 2 weeks prior to Screening
• Treatment with tofacitinib, other Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) inhibitors, or a biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD; eg, anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha [anti-TNF-α], tocilizumab [anti-interleukin-6 receptor], abatacept [CTLA4-Fc]), or other immunosuppressive drugs(sulfasalazine would be acceptable at a stable dose) other than methotrexate within 3 months prior to Screening or during Screening
• Treatment with anti-CD20 therapy (eg, rituximab) within 12 months prior to Screening or during Screening
• Immunologic disorder other than Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), with the exception of secondary Sjogren's syndrome associated with RA, and well-controlled diabetes or thyroid disorder, or any other condition requiring oral, intravenous, intramuscular, or intra-articular corticosteroid therapy
• Vaccination with live or live-attenuated virus vaccine within 1 month prior to Screening
• Active, clinically significant, viral, bacterial, or fungal infection, or any major episode of infection requiring hospitalization or treatment with parenteral anti-infectives within 4 weeks of Screening or during Screening, or completion of oral anti-infectives within 2 weeks before or during Screening, or a history of recurrent infections (ie, 3 or more of the same type of infection in a 12-month rolling period). Vaginal candidiasis, onychomycosis, and genital or oral herpes simplex virus considered by the Investigator to be sufficiently controlled would not be exclusionary
• History of or positive testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C antibody and/or polymerase chain reaction, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (+) and/or hepatitis B core total, and/or IgM antibody (+) at Screening
• History of or current diagnosis of active tuberculosis (TB); undergoing treatment for latent TB infection (LTBI); untreated LTBI (as determined by documented results within 3 months of the Screening Visit of a positive TB skin test with purified protein derivative with induration >= 5 millimeter (mm), a positive QuantiFERON-TB test or positive or borderline T-SPOT [Elispot] test); or positive QuantiFERON-TB test at Screening. Participants with documented completed appropriate LTBI treatment would not be excluded and are not required to be tested
• Participants with current household contacts with active TB will also be excluded
• Indeterminate QuantiFERON-TB or T-SPOT tests may be repeated once, and will be considered positive if retest results are positive or indeterminate
• History of cancer, except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas of the skin (no more than 3 lesions requiring treatment in lifetime) or carcinoma in situ/cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of the uterine cervix, unless considered cured > 5 years
• Clinically significant abnormality on electrocardiogram (ECG), or an active infective process or any other clinically significant abnormality on Screening chest X-ray (CXR) taken within 4 weeks of the first dose, per Investigator opinion. If a CXR has been taken within the previous 3 months and results are available and normal, the CXR does not need to be carried out
• B cell (CD19) count less than (<) 50% of the lower limit of normal at Screening
• Significant cytopenia including absolute neutrophil count < 1,500/ mm^3, platelet count < 100,000/mm^3, or absolute lymphocyte count < 1,000/mm^3

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo: Double-Blind Treatment Period	Drug: Placebo; Participants received placebo matched to M2951 twice daily up to Day 84 during the double-blind treatment period.
Experimental: M2951: Double-Blind Treatment Period	Drug: M2951; Participants received 50 milligrams (mg) M2951 orally twice daily up to Day 84 during the double-blind treatment period.; Other Names: Evobrutinib; Drug: M2951; Participants who received placebo matched to M2951 or M2951 in double-blind treatment period, received 50 mg M2951 orally twice daily up to 26-weeks during the open label extension period.; Other Names: Evobrutinib
Experimental: Placebo/M2951: Open Label Extension Period	Drug: M2951; Participants received 50 milligrams (mg) M2951 orally twice daily up to Day 84 during the double-blind treatment period.; Other Names: Evobrutinib; Drug: M2951; Participants who received placebo matched to M2951 or M2951 in double-blind treatment period, received 50 mg M2951 orally twice daily up to 26-weeks during the open label extension period.; Other Names: Evobrutinib
Experimental: M2951/M2951: Open Label Extension Period	Drug: M2951; Participants received 50 milligrams (mg) M2951 orally twice daily up to Day 84 during the double-blind treatment period.; Other Names: Evobrutinib; Drug: M2951; Participants who received placebo matched to M2951 or M2951 in double-blind treatment period, received 50 mg M2951 orally twice daily up to 26-weeks during the open label extension period.; Other Names: Evobrutinib

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Proportion of Participants Who Achieved American College of Rheumatology-20 (ACR20) Response	ACR 20 response: greater than or equal to (>=) 20 percent (%) improvement in both tender joint counts (based on a total of 68 joints) and swollen joint counts (based on a total of 66 joints) together with >=20% improvement in at least 3 of the following: 1) participant's assessment of pain; 2) participant's global assessment of disease activity; 3) physician's global assessment of disease activity; 4) participant's assessment of physical function measured by Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI); and 5) acute phase reactant as measured by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Proportion of ACR20 responders = Number of participants with ACR20 response divided by total participants.	Day 84

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mean Change From Baseline in High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP) at Day 28	Mean change in the hsCRP concentration from baseline at Day 28 was reported.	Baseline, Day 28
Proportion of Participants Achieving American College of Rheumatology-50 (ACR50) Response	ACR 50 response: >=50% improvement in both tender joint counts (based on a total of 68 joints) and swollen joint counts (based on a total of 66 joints) together with >=50% improvement in at least 3 of the following: 1) participant's assessment of pain; 2) participant's global assessment of disease activity; 3) physician's global assessment of disease activity; 4) participant's assessment of physical function measured by HAQ-DI; and 5) acute phase reactant as measured by hsCRP. Proportion of ACR50 responders = Number of participants with ACR50 response divided by total participants.	Day 28, Day 56 and Day 84
Proportion of Participants Achieving American College of Rheumatology-70 (ACR70) Response	ACR 70 response: >=70% improvement in both tender joint counts (based on a total of 68 joints) and swollen joint counts (based on a total of 66 joints) together with >=70% improvement in at least 3 of the following: 1) participant's assessment of pain; 2) participant's global assessment of disease activity; 3) physician's global assessment of disease activity; 4) participant's assessment of physical function measured by HAQ-DI; and 5) acute phase reactant as measured by hsCRP. Proportion of ACR70 responders = Number of participants with ACR70 response divided by total participants.	Day 28, Day 56 and Day 84
Mean Change From Baseline in High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP) at Day 84	Mean change in the hsCRP concentration from baseline at Day 84 was reported.	Baseline, Day 84
Mean Change From Baseline in Disease Activity Score Based on a 28 Joint Count High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (DAS28-hsCRP) at Day 28 and 84	Disease Activity Score (DAS) based on a 28 joint count hsCRP consisted of composite numerical score of following variables: tender joint count (TJC28), swollen joint count (SJC28), hsCRP (mg/mL), and participant's global assessment of disease activity. DAS28-hsCRP was calculated using following formula: DAS28-hsCRP equals to (=) 0.56*square root (sqrt) (TJC28) plus (+) 0.28*sqrt (SJC28)+ 0.014* participant's global assessment of disease activity + 0.36*natural log(hsCRP+1) +0.96. Scores ranged 1.0-9.4, where lower scores indicated less disease activity.	Baseline, Day 28 and Day 84
Proportion of Participants With Disease Activity Score- High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (DAS28-hsCRP) Value Less Than (<) 3.2	DAS28-hsCRP consisted of composite score of following variables: TJC28, SJC28, hsCRP (mg/mL), and participant's global assessment of disease activity. DAS28-hsCRP was calculated using following formula: DAS28-hsCRP =0.56* sqrt(TJC28) + 0.28*sqrt(SJC28)+ 0.014* participant's global assessment of disease activity + 0.36*natural log(hsCRP+1) +0.96. Scores ranged 1.0-9.4, where lower scores indicated less disease activity. Proportion of participants with DAS28-hsCRP value <3.2 were reported.	Day 84
Proportion of Participants With Disease Activity Score- High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (DAS28-hsCRP) Value Less Than (<) 2.6	DAS28 consisted of composite score of following variables: TJC28, SJC28, hsCRP (mg/mL), and participant's global assessment of disease activity. DAS28-hsCRP was calculated using following formula: DAS28-hsCRP =0.56* sqrt (TJC28) + 0.28*sqrt (SJC28)+ 0.014* participant's global assessment of disease activity + 0.36*natural log(hsCRP+1) +0.96. Scores ranged 1.0-9.4, where lower scores indicated less disease activity. Proportion of participants with DAS28-hsCRP value <2.6 were reported.	Day 84
Change From Baseline in Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) at Day 28 and 84	Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a type of blood test that measures how quickly erythrocytes (red blood cells) settle at the bottom of a test tube that contains a blood sample. Higher values indicate inflammation in the body.	Baseline, Day 28 and Day 84
Change From Baseline in Anti-cyclic Citrullinated Peptide (Anti-CCP) Antibody Levels at Day 28 and 84	Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) is an antibody present in most rheumatoid arthritis participants.	Baseline, Day 28 and Day 84
Change From Baseline in Rheumatoid Factor (RF) at Day 28 and 84	Rheumatoid Factor is an anti-body present in the blood.	Baseline, Day 28 and Day 84
Change From Baseline in Global Assessment of Disease Activity Based on Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Score at Day 84	The participant's overall assessment of disease activity was recorded using the 100 millimeter (mm) horizontal visual analog scale (VAS). The scale ranged from 0-100 mm, where 0 indicated no disease activity (symptom free and no arthritis symptoms) and 100 represented maximum disease activity (maximum arthritis disease activity).	Baseline, Day 84
Change From Baseline in Self-assessment of Pain Based on Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Score at Day 84	The participants were asked to assess their level of pain by marking a vertical tick on a 100 mm horizontal VAS scale. The scale ranged from 0-100 mm, where 0 indicated no pain and 100 indicated worst possible pain.	Baseline, Day 84
Change From Baseline in Self-assessment of Disability Using Health Assessment Questionnaire - Disability Index (HAQ-DI) Score at Day 84	The HAQ-DI questionnaire assessed the participant's self-perception on the degree of difficulty [0 (without any difficulty), 1 (with some difficulty), 2 (with much difficulty), and 3 (unable to do)] when dressing and grooming, arising, eating, walking, hygiene, reaching, gripping, and performing other daily activities. Scores for each functional area were averaged to calculate HAQ-DI scores, which ranged from 0 (no disability) to 3 (worst disability). A decrease in HAQ-DI score indicated an improvement in the participant's condition.	Baseline, Day 84
Change From Baseline in Physician's Global Assessment of Disease Activity Scale Based on Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Score at Day 84	The Physician's Global Assessment of Disease Activity was recorded using the 100 mm horizontal VAS. Physician rated participant's arthritis disease activity on a scale ranged from 0-100 mm, where 0 indicated no disease activity (no arthritis) and 100 represented maximum disease activity (maximum arthritis).	Baseline, Day 84
Number of Participants With Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)	An Adverse event (AE) was defined as any unfavorable and unintended sign (including an abnormal laboratory finding), symptom, or disease temporally associated with the use of study drug, whether or not considered related to the study drug or worsening of pre-existing medical condition, whether or not related to study drug. A serious adverse event (SAE) was an AE that resulted in any of the following outcomes: death; life threatening; persistent/significant disability/incapacity; initial or prolonged inpatient hospitalization; congenital anomaly/birth defect or was otherwise considered medically important. Treatment-emergent are events between first dose of study drug that were absent before treatment or that worsened relative to pre-treatment state. TEAEs included both Serious TEAEs and non-serious TEAEs.	Baseline up to 16 Weeks
Number of Participants With Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) by Severity	Grade 3 and 4 TEAES as per National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Experience version 4.03 (NCI-CTCAE v 4.03) were presented. Grade 3 refers to severe or medically significant but not immediately life-threatening; hospitalization or prolongation of hospitalization indicated; disabling; limiting self-care and Activity of daily living (ADL).Grade 4 refers to Life-threatening consequences; where urgent intervention indicated.	Baseline up to 16 Weeks
Number of Participants With Grade 3 or Higher Clinically Significant Abnormality for Hematology, Biochemistry, Urinalysis or Coagulation	Clinically significant abnormalities for hematology, biochemistry or coagulation were graded with National Cancer Institute - Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE) v4.03 toxicity grades, where Grade 1 = mild, Grade 2 = moderate, Grade 3 = severe, Grade 4 = life threatening and Grade 5 = death. Participants with grade 3 or higher were reported.	Baseline up to 16 Weeks
Number of Participants With Clinically Significant Vital Signs Abnormalities	Vital sign assessment included blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate and temperature. Clinical significance was determined by the investigator.	Baseline up to 16 Weeks
Number of Participants With Clinically Significant 12-lead Electrocardiogram (ECG) Findings	The 12-lead ECG recordings were obtained after 10 minutes of rest in a semi-supine position. The ECG parameters obtained directly from the computerized 12-lead ECG recordings included rhythm, ventricular rate, PR interval, QRS duration, and QT interval. Clinical significance was determined by the investigator.	Baseline up to 16 Weeks
Plasma Concentration of M2951		Pre-dose at Day 1; 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 hours post-dose at Day 1 and Day 29
Area Under the Concentration-Time Curve From Time Zero to 6 Hours (AUC 0-6h) of M2951		Pre-dose, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 hours post-dose at Day 1 and Day 29
Maximum Observed Plasma Concentration (Cmax) of M2951		Pre-dose, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 hours post-dose at Day 1 and Day 29
Plasma Concentration Observed Immediately Before Dosing on Day 29 (Cpre) of M2951		Pre-dose on Day 29
Time to Reach Maximum Plasma Concentration (Tmax) of M2951		Pre-dose, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 hours post-dose at Day 1 and Day 29
Accumulation Ratio for Area Under the Concentration-Time Curve From Time Zero to 6 Hours (Racc [AUC0-6h]) of M2951	Accumulation ratio for AUC was calculated as AUC 0-6h, Day 29 divided by AUC 0-6h, Day 1	Pre-dose, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 hours post-dose at Day 1 and Day 29
Accumulation Ratio for Observed Maximum Plasma Concentration (Racc [Cmax]) of M2951	Accumulation ratio for Cmax , was calculated as Cmax, Day 29 divided by Cmax, Day1	Pre-dose, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 hours post-dose at Day 1 and Day 29
Absolute Immunoglobulin Levels at Day 85	Following immunoglobulin levels were measured: Immunoglobulin A , Immunoglobulin G, Immunoglobulin G Subclass 1, Immunoglobulin G Subclass 2, Immunoglobulin G Subclass 3, Immunoglobulin G Subclass 4, Immunoglobulin M.	Baseline, Day 85
Absolute Change From Baseline in Immunoglobulin Levels at Day 85	Following immunoglobulin levels were measured: Immunoglobulin A , Immunoglobulin G, Immunoglobulin G Subclass 1, Immunoglobulin G Subclass 2, Immunoglobulin G Subclass 3, Immunoglobulin G Subclass 4, Immunoglobulin M.	Baseline, Day 85
Absolute B-Cell Levels at Day 85		Day 85
Absolute Change From Baseline in B-cell Levels at Day 85		Baseline, Day 85

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc.
• Collaborators: Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 31, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 30, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): November 14, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 24, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 24, 2016
• First Posted (Estimate): May 26, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 17, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 18, 2018
• Last Verified: June 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Rheumatoid Arthritis; M2951; Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK)
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Immune System Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Rheumatic Diseases; Connective Tissue Diseases; Arthritis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid
• Other Study ID Numbers: MS200527-0081; 2016-000064-42 (EudraCT Number)