Clinical Trial to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Acellbia® (JSC "BIOCAD") With Methotrexate in First Line Biological Therapy of Patients With Active Rheumatoid Arthritis (ALTERRA)
Rheumatoid Arthritis
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Rheumatoid Arthritis focused on measuring rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatism, Acellbia, methotrexate, biologic therapy, monoclonal antibody, rituximab
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
Written informed consent. Age from 18 to 80 years. Rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed at least 6 months before informed consent signing Presence of more than 8 swollen and more than 8 painful joints at screening. C-reactive protein 7 mg/l or more AND/OR erythrocyte sedimentation rate 28 mm/hour or more.
Antibodies to citrullinated cyclic peptide 20 U/ml or more AND/OR rheumatoid factor-IgM higher than upper normal limit.
Documented regular methotrexate intake for 12 weeks, stable dose from 10 to 25 mg/week during last 4 weeks before signing informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
Methotrexate intolerance. Felty's syndrome. Patient functional status - IV class according to ACR. Previous use of biologic drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis, biologic drugs that deplete CD20-lymphocytes, azathioprine use in the last 28 days prior to informed consent signing, leflunomide use in the last 8 weeks prior to informed consent signing, sulphasalazine/hydroxyquinoline use in the last 28 days prior to informed consent signing, intraarticular use of corticosteroids in the last 4 weeks prior to informed consent signing, patient requires prednisolone (or analogues) in a dose more than 10 mg/day or dose is unstable during 4 weeks prior to informed consent signing, requirement in non-steroid antiinflammatory drugs if their dose was not stable during last 8 weeks prior to informed consent signing.
Patient has inflammatory joint disease otherwise than rheumatoid arthritis or systemic autoimmune diseases.
Full list of inclusion and exclusion criteria can be found in Study Protocol.
Sites / Locations
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Placebo Comparator
Acellbia + methotrexate
Placebo + methotrexate
106 patients of this group will receive methotrexate in combination with a drug Acellbia to be used at a dose of 600 mg as a slow intravenous infusion carried out on day 1 and day 15. If a follow-up examination at 24 weeks or later (up to 48 weeks) reveals that the patient still has active arthritis (evaluation index DAS28-4 (ESR)> 2,6 points), the therapy with Acellbia is repeated by the same scheme - 2 infusion at a dose of 600 mg at intervals of 14 days.
53 patients of this group will receive methotrexate in combination with a placebo to be used as a slow intravenous infusion carried out on day 1 and day 15. If a follow-up examination at 24 weeks or later (up to 48 weeks) reveals that the patient still has active arthritis (evaluation index DAS28-4 (ESR)> 2,6 points), the patient receives open therapy with Acellbia is initiated: 2 infusion at a dose of 600 mg at intervals of 14 days.