Cimzia Treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Randomizing to Stop Versus Continue Disease-modifying Anti-rheumatic Drug(s)

Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Trial

Official title: A Canadian Randomized Controlled Trial of DMARD Withdrawal in RA Patients Achieving Therapeutic Response With Cimzia + DMARD Combination Treatment.

Status Active, not recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate the safety and efficacy of Cimzia given as an add-on to your current therapy with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug(s) (DMARDs)including MTX or given as monotherapy (alone) over an 18 month period.

Approximately 125 patients with moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) who are being prescribed Cimzia will be enrolled into the study.

Clinical Trial Description

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The disease is characterized by inflammation of synovial joints that can result in pain, swelling and joint damage with secondary deformity and progressive disability and impairment of patient's health related quality of life. It is estimated that about 1% of the population worldwide has RA.

Treatment for RA includes use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selective inhibitors, corticosteroids and DMARDs. The effectiveness and toxicities associated with use of DMARDs differs based on the individual agent; DMARDs are often partially effective. For those in whom DMARDs have not fully treated RA, TNF inhibitors are often prescribed.

TNFα plays an important role in RA. Activities ascribed to TNFα in RA include recruitment and activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), cellular proliferation, increased prostaglandin and matrix-degrading protease activity, and bone and cartilage resorption.

CIMZIA (certolizumab pegol) in combination with methotrexate (MTX) is indicated for:

• reducing signs and symptoms, inducing major clinical response, and reducing the progression of joint damage as assessed by X-ray, in adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Arthritis
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid
• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• NCT number: NCT01489384
• Study type: Observational
• Source: Pope Research Corporation
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: December 2011
• Completion date: September 2018