Results: A total of 317 patients were randomized to receive placebo plus a nonbiologic background medication (n=158) or CZP plus a nonbiologic background medication (n=159). Major improvement in the ASDAS at Week 52 was achieved in 47.2% (75 of 159) of patients in the CZP plus a nonbiologic background medication group, which was significantly greater (P<0.0001) than 7.0% (11 of 158) in the placebo plus a nonbiologic background medication group. In that group, 60.8% (96 of 158) switched to open-label treatment before Week 52 compared with 12.6% (20 of 159) of the CZP plus a nonbiologic background medication group.
Conclusion: Adding CZP to background medication is superior to adding placebo in patients with active nonradiographic axial SpA. These results indicate that remission in nonradiographic axial SpA treated without biologics occurs infrequently, demonstrating the need for treatment beyond nonbiologic therapy.
Excerpted and adapted from:
Deodhar A, Gensler LS, Kay J, et al. A 52-week, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of certolizumab pegol in nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2019 July;71(7):1101–1111.
