Rheumatoid Arthritis: Bear MB

Cohen SB, Moreland LW, Cush JJ, Greenwald MW, Block S, Shergy WJ, Hanrahan PS, Kraishi MM, Patel A, Sun G, Bear MB, Anonymous00309. · Department of Rheumatology, St Paul Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75235, USA. · Ann Rheum Dis. · Pubmed #15082469 links to  free full text

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of 100 mg daily anakinra (Kineret), a recombinant form of the naturally occurring interleukin 1 receptor antagonist, plus methotrexate (MTX) in reducing the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Patients with active RA (n = 506) despite current treatment with MTX were enrolled in this multicentre, double blind, randomised, placebo controlled study. Patients received subcutaneous injections of anakinra 100 mg/day or placebo. They were assessed monthly for 6 months for improvement in signs and symptoms of RA and for adverse events. The primary efficacy measure was the percentage of patients attaining ACR20 response at week 24. RESULTS: Significantly greater proportions of patients treated with anakinra compared with placebo achieved ACR20 (38% v 22%; p<0.001), ACR50 (17% v 8%; p<0.01), and ACR70 (6% v 2%; p<0.05) responses. The response to anakinra was rapid; the proportion of patients with an ACR20 response at the first study assessment (4 weeks) was twice as high with anakinra as with placebo (p<0.005). Clinically meaningful and statistically significant responses were also seen in individual components of the ACR response (for example, Health Assessment Questionnaire, pain, C reactive protein levels, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate). Anakinra was well tolerated, with a safety profile, similar to that of placebo with one exception: mild to moderate injection site reactions were more common with anakinra than with placebo (65% v 24%). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms previous observations from a dose-ranging study showing that anakinra, in combination with MTX, is an effective and safe treatment for patients with RA who have inadequate responses to MTX alone.

Nuki G, Bresnihan B, Bear MB, McCabe D, Anonymous00113. · University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. · Arthritis Rheum. · Pubmed #12428223 links to  free full text

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the long-term efficacy of anakinra, a human recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to assess the long-term safety of anakinra at different daily doses. METHODS: The efficacy and safety of anakinra were previously demonstrated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 24-week evaluation in 472 patients with active RA. Of 345 patients who completed the placebo-controlled phase of the study, 309 continued in a 52-week, multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group extension phase of the study. Patients received subcutaneous injections of anakinra (30, 75, or 150 mg) once daily. Efficacy was assessed among the 309 patients for the first 24 weeks of the extension phase (48 weeks total therapy), using the American College of Rheumatology composite score (ACR20), its components, and radiographs of the hands and wrists. Safety was assessed in all 472 patients over the entire 52-week extension phase (76 weeks total exposure). RESULTS: A total of 218 patients completed the extension phase. Of the 91 patients who withdrew prematurely, 46 did so following adverse events, and 26 withdrew because of lack of efficacy. Among patients receiving anakinra who entered the extension phase, the level of improvement was maintained for 48 weeks. The ACR20 response was 51% at week 24 and 46% at week 48, and this effect was consistent across all dose groups. The durability of the response to anakinra was further demonstrated in an evaluation of the sustained ACR20 response, which was similar during the first and second 24-week periods (36% and 42%, respectively). At week 48, ACR50 and ACR70 responses were demonstrated in 18% and 3% of patients, respectively, who continued taking anakinra (all dose groups) and in 20% and 1% of patients, respectively, who were originally receiving placebo and then were randomized to all doses of anakinra. Anakinra was well tolerated for 76 weeks. The only side effects that appeared to be treatment-related were skin reactions at the injection site. There was no evidence of decreased tolerance, an increased number of withdrawals, or an increased incidence of clinical complications associated with extended anakinra therapy. CONCLUSION: The clinical benefits of treatment with daily self-administered subcutaneous injections of anakinra in a cohort of patients with active RA were maintained for up to 48 weeks. Anakinra was well tolerated over 76 weeks. These observations support the long-term use of anakinra for the treatment of patients with RA.

Cohen S, Hurd E, Cush J, Schiff M, Weinblatt ME, Moreland LW, Kremer J, Bear MB, Rich WJ, McCabe D. · Department of Rheumatology, St. Paul Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75235, USA. · Arthritis Rheum. · Pubmed #11920396 links to  free full text

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of anakinra in combination with methotrexate (MTX) in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Patients with moderate-to-severe active RA who were receiving MTX for 6 consecutive months, with stable doses for > or = 3 months (those with disease duration of >6 months but <12 years) were randomized into 6 groups: placebo or 0.04, 0.1, 0.4, 1.0, or 2.0 mg/kg of anakinra administered in a single, daily, subcutaneous injection. The primary efficacy end point was the proportion of subjects who met the American College of Rheumatology 20% improvement criteria (attained an ACR20 response) at week 12. RESULTS: A total of 419 patients were randomized in the study. Patient demographics and disease status were similar in the 6 treatment groups. The ACR20 responses at week 12 in the 5 active treatment plus MTX groups demonstrated a statistically significant (P = 0.001) dose-response relationship compared with the ACR20 response in the placebo plus MTX group. The ACR20 response rate in the anakinra 1.0-mg/kg (46%; P = 0.001) and 2.0-mg/kg (38%; P = 0.007) dose groups was significantly greater than that in the placebo group (19%). The ACR20 responses at 24 weeks were consistent with those at 12 weeks. Similar improvements in anakinra-treated subjects were noted in individual ACR components, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, onset of ACR20 response, sustainability of ACR20 response, and magnitude of ACR response. Anakinra was safe and well tolerated. Injection site reaction was the most frequently noted adverse event, and this led to premature study withdrawal in 7% (1.0-mg/kg group) to 10% (2.0-mg/kg group) of patients receiving higher doses. CONCLUSION: In patients with persistently active RA, the combination of anakinra and MTX was safe and well tolerated and provided significantly greater clinical benefit than MTX alone.