Comparison of tocilizumab monotherapy versus methotrexate monotherapy in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis: the AMBITION study
G Jones, A Sebba, J Gu, M B Lowenstein, A Calvo, J J Gomez-Reino, D A Siri, M Tomsic, E Alecock, T Woodworth, M C Genovese, G Jones, A Sebba, J Gu, M B Lowenstein, A Calvo, J J Gomez-Reino, D A Siri, M Tomsic, E Alecock, T Woodworth, M C Genovese
Abstract
Background: The anti-interleukin (IL) 6 receptor antibody tocilizumab inhibits signalling of IL6, a key cytokine in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis.
Objective: To evaluate through the AMBITION study the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab monotherapy versus methotrexate in patients with active RA for whom previous treatment with methotrexate/biological agents had not failed.
Methods: This 24-week, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group study, randomised 673 patients to either tocilizumab 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks, or methotrexate, starting at 7.5 mg/week and titrated to 20 mg/week within 8 weeks, or placebo for 8 weeks followed by tocilizumab 8 mg/kg. The primary end point was the proportion of patients achieving American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20 response at week 24.
Results: The intention-to-treat analysis demonstrated that tocilizumab was better than methotrexate treatment with a higher ACR20 response (69.9 vs 52.5%; p<0.001), and 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) <2.6 rate (33.6 vs 12.1%) at week 24. Mean high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was within the normal range from week 12 with tocilizumab, whereas levels remained elevated with methotrexate. The incidence of serious adverse events with tocilizumab was 3.8% versus 2.8% with methotrexate (p = 0.50), and of serious infections, 1.4% versus 0.7%, respectively. There was a higher incidence of reversible grade 3 neutropenia (3.1% vs 0.4%) and increased total cholesterol > or =240 mg/dl (13.2% vs 0.4%), and a lower incidence of alanine aminotransferase elevations >3x-<5x upper limit of normal (1.0% vs 2.5%), respectively.
Conclusion: Tocilizumab monotherapy is better than methotrexate monotherapy, with rapid improvement in RA signs and symptoms, and a favourable benefit-risk, in patients for whom treatment with methotrexate or biological agents has not previously failed.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00109408.
Conflict of interest statement
Competing interests: GJ has received consulting fees from Merck, Roche, Genzyme, Novartis and Servier and has been paid lecture fees by Merck, Roche, Sanofi-Aventis, Servier, Pfizer and Novartis. ASe has received consulting fees from Amgen, Merck, Novartis and Roche, and has been paid lecture fees by Merck, Novartis, Roche, Glaxo Smith Kline and Lilly. AC has received lecture fees from Deutsche Pharma, Farmindustria, Schering Plough and Pfizer, has been paid lecture fees by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck, and has received grant support from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck and Roche. JJG-R has received consulting fees from Roche, Schering Plough, Wyeth and Bristol-Myers Squibb, and has been paid lecture fees by Roche, Wyeth and Bristol-Myers Squibb. ASi has received consulting fees from Roche. MT has received consulting fees from Roche and Schering Plough. TW and EA are employees of Roche. MCG has received consulting fees from Roche, Genentech, Biogen-Idec and Bristol-Myers Squibb, has been paid lecture fees by Genentech and Bristol-Myers Squibb and has received grant support from Roche, Genentech, Biogen-Idec, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer.
Figures
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![Figure 2](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/3747519/bin/ARD-69-01-0088f02.jpg)
Figure 3
(A) Proportion of patients experiencing…
Figure 3
(A) Proportion of patients experiencing reduced neutrophil counts during the 24-week study (Safety…
- Early rheumatoid arthritis treated with tocilizumab, methotrexate, or their combination (U-Act-Early): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, strategy trial.Bijlsma JWJ, Welsing PMJ, Woodworth TG, Middelink LM, Pethö-Schramm A, Bernasconi C, Borm MEA, Wortel CH, Ter Borg EJ, Jahangier ZN, van der Laan WH, Bruyn GAW, Baudoin P, Wijngaarden S, Vos PAJM, Bos R, Starmans MJF, Griep EN, Griep-Wentink JRM, Allaart CF, Heurkens AHM, Teitsma XM, Tekstra J, Marijnissen ACA, Lafeber FPJ, Jacobs JWG. Bijlsma JWJ, et al. Lancet. 2016 Jul 23;388(10042):343-355. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30363-4. Epub 2016 Jun 7. Lancet. 2016. PMID: 27287832 Clinical Trial.
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- Choy EH, Panayi GS. Cytokine pathways and joint inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. N Engl J Med 2001;344:907–16 - PubMed
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- Sack U, Kinne RW, Marx T, Heppt P, Bender S, Emmrich F. Interleukin-6 in synovial fluid is closely associated with chronic synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatol Int 1993;13:45–51 - PubMed
- Comparative Study
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Adult
- Aged
- Antibodies, Monoclonal / adverse effects
- Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use*
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
- Antirheumatic Agents / adverse effects
- Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use*
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid / blood
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy*
- Biomarkers / blood
- C-Reactive Protein / metabolism
- Double-Blind Method
- Female
- Humans
- Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects
- Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
- Male
- Methotrexate / adverse effects
- Methotrexate / therapeutic use*
- Middle Aged
- Receptors, Interleukin-6 / antagonists & inhibitors
- Severity of Illness Index
- Treatment Outcome
- Antibodies, Monoclonal
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
- Antirheumatic Agents
- Biomarkers
- Immunosuppressive Agents
- Receptors, Interleukin-6
- C-Reactive Protein
- tocilizumab
- Methotrexate
- ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00109408
- Full Text Sources
- Other Literature Sources
- Medical
- Research Materials
![Figure 3](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/3747519/bin/ARD-69-01-0088f03.jpg)
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Source: PubMed