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A Study to Investigate the Safety and Efficacy of ABBV-105 Alone or in Combination With Upadacitinib (ABBV-599 Combination) in Participants With Active Rheumatoid Arthritis

Phase 2
Completed
Conditions
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT03682705
Lead Sponsor
AbbVie
Brief Summary

This was a phase 2 study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of elsubrutinib (ELS) and ABBV-599 (ELS plus upadacitinib \[UPA\]) vs placebo on a background of conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) for the treatment of signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at 12 weeks in biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARD)-inadequate response (bDMARD-IR) or bDMARD-intolerant participants with moderately to severely active RA and to define optimal dose for further development.

Detailed Description

This was a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, Phase 2, dose exploratory, multicenter study. Participants who met eligibility criteria were randomized in a 3:2:2:2:2:1 ratio to 1 of 6 treatment groups: ABBV-599 \[UPA 15 mg/ELS 60 mg\]); ELS 60 mg/UPA placebo; ELS 20 mg/UPA placebo; ELS 5 mg/UPA placebo; UPA 15 mg/ELS placebo; and ELS placebo/UPA placebo. The study included a 35-day maximum screening period and a 12-week treatment period with 30-day follow-up.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
242
Inclusion Criteria
  • Diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for ≥ 3 months based on the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) classification criteria for RA

  • Participant meets the following minimum disease activity criteria:

    • ≥ 6 swollen joints (based on 66 joint counts) and ≥ 6 tender joints (based on 68 joint counts) at Screening and Baseline Visits
    • High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) ≥ 3 mg/L (central lab) at Screening Visit
  • Participants must have been treated for ≥ 3 months with ≥ 1 biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (bDMARD) therapy but continue to exhibit active RA or had to discontinue due to intolerability or toxicity, irrespective of treatment duration

  • Participants must have been receiving conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (csDMARD) therapy ≥ 3 months and on a stable dose for ≥ 4 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug

  • Participants must have discontinued all bDMARDs prior to the first dose of study drug

Exclusion Criteria
  • Participant has prior exposure to any Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitor for greater than 2 weeks (including but not limited to upadacitinib, tofacitinib, baricitinib, and filgotinib). A washout period of ≥ 30 days is required for any JAK inhibitor prior to the first dose of study drug.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
UPA 15 mg/ELS 60 mgElsubrutinib15 mg film-coated upadacitinib tablet once a day by mouth for 12 weeks; 60 mg elsubrutinib capsule once a day by mouth for 12 weeks
ELS 60 mg/UPA placeboElsubrutinib60 mg elsubrutinib capsule once a day by mouth for 12 weeks; placebo film-coated tablet for upadacitinib once a day by mouth for 12 weeks
ELS placebo/UPA placeboPlacebo for elsubrutinibPlacebo capsule for elsubrutinib once a day by mouth for 12 weeks; placebo film-coated tablet for upadacitinib once a day by mouth for 12 weeks
ELS placebo/UPA placeboPlacebo for upadacitinibPlacebo capsule for elsubrutinib once a day by mouth for 12 weeks; placebo film-coated tablet for upadacitinib once a day by mouth for 12 weeks
UPA 15 mg/ELS placeboPlacebo for elsubrutinib15 mg film-coated upadacitinib tablet once a day by mouth for 12 weeks; placebo capsule for elsubrutinib once a day by mouth for 12 weeks
ELS 5 mg/UPA placeboElsubrutinib5 mg elsubrutinib capsule once a day by mouth for 12 weeks; placebo film-coated tablet for upadacitinib once a day by mouth for 12 weeks
ELS 60 mg/UPA placeboPlacebo for upadacitinib60 mg elsubrutinib capsule once a day by mouth for 12 weeks; placebo film-coated tablet for upadacitinib once a day by mouth for 12 weeks
ELS 20 mg/UPA placeboPlacebo for upadacitinib20 mg elsubrutinib capsule once a day by mouth for 12 weeks; placebo film-coated tablet for upadacitinib once a day by mouth for 12 weeks
ELS 5 mg/UPA placeboPlacebo for upadacitinib5 mg elsubrutinib capsule once a day by mouth for 12 weeks; placebo film-coated tablet for upadacitinib once a day by mouth for 12 weeks
ELS 20 mg/UPA placeboElsubrutinib20 mg elsubrutinib capsule once a day by mouth for 12 weeks; placebo film-coated tablet for upadacitinib once a day by mouth for 12 weeks
UPA 15 mg/ELS 60 mgUpadacitinib15 mg film-coated upadacitinib tablet once a day by mouth for 12 weeks; 60 mg elsubrutinib capsule once a day by mouth for 12 weeks
UPA 15 mg/ELS placeboUpadacitinib15 mg film-coated upadacitinib tablet once a day by mouth for 12 weeks; placebo capsule for elsubrutinib once a day by mouth for 12 weeks
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change From Baseline in Disease Activity Score 28 C-reactive Protein [DAS28-CRP]) at Week 12Baseline, Week 12

The DAS28-CRP is a composite index used to assess rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, calculated based on the tender joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), swollen joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (0-100 mm), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP; in mg/L). Scores on the DAS28-CRP range from 0 to approximately 10, where higher scores indicate more disease activity. A negative change from baseline indicates improvement in disease activity.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Percentage of Participants Achieving Clinical Remission (CR) Based on Disease Activity Score 28 C-reactive Protein [DAS28-CRP]) at Week 12At Week 12

The DAS28-CRP is a composite index used to assess rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, calculated based on the tender joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), swollen joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (0-100 mm), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP; in mg/L). Scores on the DAS28-CRP range from 0 to approximately 10, where higher scores indicate more disease activity. Clinical remission (CR) based on DAS28 (CRP) is defined as achieving a DAS28 (CRP) of less than 2.6.

Change From Baseline in Morning Stiffness SeverityBaseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

Morning stiffness severity was assessed by a numeric rating-scale (NRS). Participants rated the severity of morning stiffness during the past week from 0 to 10 with 0 representing "not severe" and 10 "very severe". Negative values indicate improvement from baseline.

Change From Baseline in Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI)Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

The SDAI is a validated measure of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Twenty-eight tender joint counts, 28 swollen joint counts, global disease activity assessed by the participant on a visual analogue scale from 0 to 10 (cm), global disease activity assessed by an investigator on a visual analogue scale from 0 to 10 (cm), and serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP; mg/dL) were included in the SDAI score. Scores on the SDAI range from 0 to 86.with higher scores indicating higher disease activity. A negative change from baseline indicates improvement in disease activity.

Change From Baseline in Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI)Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

The CDAI is a composite index for assessing disease activity based on the summation of the total tender joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), swollen joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), patient global assessment of disease activity measured on a VAS from 0 to 10 cm, and physician global assessment of disease activity measured on a VAS from 0 to 10 cm. The total CDAI score ranges from 0 to 78 with higher scores indicating higher disease activity. A negative change from baseline indicates improvement in disease activity.

Percentage of Participants Achieving Complete Remission (CR) Based on Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) CriteriaWeek 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

The CDAI is a composite index for assessing disease activity based on the summation of the total tender joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), swollen joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), patient global assessment of disease activity measured on a VAS from 0 to 10 cm, and physician global assessment of disease activity measured on a VAS from 0 to 10 cm. The total CDAI score ranges from 0 to 78 with higher scores indicating higher disease activity. Complete Remission (CR) based on CDAI is defined as achieving a CDAI of less than or equal to 2.8.

Percentage of Participants Achieving Low Disease Activity (LDA) Based on Disease Activity Score 28 C-reactive Protein [DAS28-CRP]) at Week 12At Week 12

The DAS28-CRP is a composite index used to assess rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, calculated based on the tender joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), swollen joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (0-100 mm), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP; in mg/L). Scores on the DAS28-CRP range from 0 to approximately 10, where higher scores indicate more disease activity. Low Disease Activity (LDA) based on DAS28 (CRP) is defined as achieving a DAS28 (CRP) of less than or equal to 3.2.

Percentage of Participants Achieving Low Disease Activity (LDA) Based on Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) CriteriaWeek 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

The CDAI is a composite index for assessing disease activity based on the summation of the total tender joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), swollen joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), patient global assessment of disease activity measured on a VAS from 0 to 10 cm, and physician global assessment of disease activity measured on a VAS from 0 to 10 cm. The total CDAI score ranges from 0 to 78 with higher scores indicating higher disease activity. Low Disease Activity (LDA) based on CDAI is defined as achieving a CDAI of less than or equal to 10.

Percentage of Participants With an American College of Rheumatology 20% (ACR20) ResponseBaseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

Participants who met the following 3 conditions for improvement from baseline were classified as meeting the American College of Rheumatology 20% response (ACR20) criteria:

1. ≥ 20% improvement in 68-tender joint count

2. ≥ 20% improvement in 66-swollen joint count and

3. ≥ 20% improvement in at least 3 of the 5 following parameters:

* Patient's Assessment of Pain (Visual Analog Scale \[VAS\])

* Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (PtGA)

* Physician's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (PhGA)

* Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI)

* High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP)

Percentage of Participants With an American College of Rheumatology 50% (ACR50) ResponseBaseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

Participants who met the following 3 conditions for improvement from baseline were classified as meeting the American College of Rheumatology 50% response (ACR50) criteria:

1. ≥ 50% improvement in 68-tender joint count

2. ≥ 50% improvement in 66-swollen joint count and

3. ≥ 50% improvement in at least 3 of the 5 following parameters:

* Patient's Assessment of Pain (Visual Analog Scale \[VAS\])

* Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (PtGA)

* Physician's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (PhGA)

* Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI)

* High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP)

Percentage of Participants With an American College of Rheumatology 70% (ACR70) ResponseBaseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

Participants who met the following 3 conditions for improvement from baseline were classified as meeting the American College of Rheumatology 70% response (ACR70) criteria:

1. ≥ 70% improvement in 68-tender joint count

2. ≥ 70% improvement in 66-swollen joint count and

3. ≥ 70% improvement in at least 3 of the 5 following parameters:

* Patient's Assessment of Pain (Visual Analog Scale \[VAS\])

* Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (PtGA)

* Physician's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (PhGA)

* Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI)

* High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP)

Change From Baseline in Tender Joint Count 68 (TJC68)Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

Sixty-eight joints were assessed for tenderness by physical examination. Pain or tenderness of each joint was classified as present (1) or absent (0), for a total possible score of 0 (0 joints with tenderness) to 68 (worst possible score/68 joints with tenderness). Negative values indicate improvement from baseline.

Change From Baseline in Participant's Assessment of Pain (Visual Analog Scale [VAS])Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

Participants rated their pain on a visual analogue scale (VAS) of 0 to 100 (mm), with 0 representing no pain and 100 representing the worst possible pain. Negative values indicate improvement from baseline.

Change From Baseline in Physician's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (PhGA)Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

The physician assessed a participant's disease activity at the time of the visit using a Physician's Global Assessment of Disease visual analogue scale (VAS). The range is 0 to 100 mm, with 0 representing no disease activity and 100 representing severe disease activity. Negative values indicate improvement from baseline.

Change From Baseline in High-Sensitivity C-reactive Protein (hsCRP)Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

C-reactive protein is a blood test marker for inflammation in the body, and levels rise in response to inflammation. A negative change from baseline in indicates improvement.

Change From Baseline in Disease Activity Score 28 C-reactive Protein [DAS28-CRP])Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

The DAS28-CRP is a composite index used to assess rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, calculated based on the tender joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), swollen joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (0-100 mm), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP; in mg/L). Scores on the DAS28-CRP range from 0 to approximately 10, where higher scores indicate more disease activity. A negative change from baseline indicates improvement in disease activity.

Change From Baseline in Disease Activity Score 28 Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (DAS28- ESR)Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

The DAS28-ESR is a validated index of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Twenty-eight tender joint counts, 28 swollen joint counts, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR; mm/hour), and the participant's assessment of global disease activity (on a visual analog scale \[VAS\] from 0 to 100 mm) are included in the DAS28 -ESR score. Scores on the DAS28-ESR range from 0 to 10; higher scores indicate more disease activity.

Change From Baseline in Swollen Joint Count 66 (SJC66)Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

Sixty-six joints were assessed for swelling by physical examination. Swelling of each joint was classified as present (1) or absent (0), for a total possible score of 0 (0 joints with swelling) to 66 (worst possible score/66 joints with swelling). Negative values indicate improvement from baseline.

Change From Baseline in Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (PGA)Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

Participants rated their disease activity for the past 24 hours using a Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity Global visual analogue scale (VAS). The range is 0 to 100 mm, with 0 representing no disease activity and 100 representing severe disease activity. Negative values indicate improvement from baseline.

Change From Baseline in Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI)Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

The Health Assessment Questionnaire - Disability Index is a patient-reported questionnaire that measures the degree of difficulty a person has in accomplishing tasks in 8 functional areas (dressing, arising, eating, walking, hygiene, reaching, gripping, and errands and chores) over the past week. Participants assessed their ability to do each task on a scale from 0 (without any difficulty) to 3 (unable to do). Scores were averaged to provide an overall score ranging from 0 to 3, where 0 represents no disability and 3 represents very severe, high-dependency disability. A negative change from baseline in the overall score indicates improvement.

Percentage of Participants Achieving Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) in Change From Baseline in Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI)Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

The Health Assessment Questionnaire - Disability Index is a patient-reported questionnaire that measures the degree of difficulty a person has in accomplishing tasks in 8 functional areas (dressing, arising, eating, walking, hygiene, reaching, gripping, and errands and chores) over the past week. Participants assessed their ability to do each task on a scale from 0 (without any difficulty) to 3 (unable to do). Scores were averaged to provide an overall score ranging from 0 to 3, where 0 represents no disability and 3 represents very severe, high-dependency disability. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in HAQ-DI is defined as change from Baseline ≤ -0.22 for rheumatoid arthritis.

Percentage of Participants Achieving American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Boolean RemissionBaseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12

The EULAR Boolean-based definition of remission is as follows: at any time point, a participant must satisfy all of the following: tender joint count ≤1, swollen joint count ≤1, C-reactive protein ≤1 mg/dl and Patient Global Assessment (PGA) ≤1 (on a 0-10 scale).

Trial Locations

Locations (115)

Rheum Assoc of North Alabama /ID# 167382

🇺🇸

Huntsville, Alabama, United States

AZ Arthritis & Rheum Research /ID# 167446

🇺🇸

Mesa, Arizona, United States

SunValley Arthritis Center, Lt /ID# 213073

🇺🇸

Peoria, Arizona, United States

AZ Arthritis and Rheum Researc /ID# 167448

🇺🇸

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

St. Joseph Heritage Healthcare /ID# 167379

🇺🇸

Fullerton, California, United States

Purushotham, Akther & Roshan K /ID# 168121

🇺🇸

La Mesa, California, United States

Valerius Medical Group /ID# 168123

🇺🇸

Los Alamitos, California, United States

Sierra Rheumatology /ID# 167976

🇺🇸

Roseville, California, United States

Rheumatology Center of San Diego /ID# 170690

🇺🇸

San Diego, California, United States

Iraj Sabahi Research, Inc /ID# 201923

🇺🇸

Turlock, California, United States

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Rheum Assoc of North Alabama /ID# 167382
🇺🇸Huntsville, Alabama, United States

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