a study to evaluate efficacy of tocilizumab administered as monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate and/or other disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (dmards) in rheumatoid arthritis (ra) participants

Conditions: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Summary: this open-label, single arm, phase 3b study will evaluate the efficacy of tocilizumab (roactemra), administered as monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate and/or other dmards, in participants with moderate to severe active ra.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * diagnosis of active ra according to the revised (1987) acr criteria or eular/acr (2010) criteria * moderate to severe ra (cdai at least \[\>/=\] 10 and das28 \>/=3.2) at screening * tumor necrosis factor inhibitors-inadequate responder (tnf-ir), methotrexate-inadequate responder (mtx-ir), and/or dmards-inadequate responder (dmards-ir) * oral corticosteroids (less than or equal to \[\ /=4 weeks prior to baseline * permitted non-biologic dmards are allowed if at a stable dose for \>/=4 weeks prior to baseline * receiving treatment on an outpatient basis, not including tocilizumab * females of childbearing potential and males with female partners of childbearing potential must agree to use a reliable means of contraception for at least 3 months following the last dose of tocilizumab exclusion criteria: * major surgery (including joint surgery) within 8 weeks prior to screening or planned major surgery within 12 months following baseline * rheumatic autoimmune disease other than ra; secondary sjögren's syndrome with ra is permitted * functional class iv as defined by the acr classification of functional status in ra * diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis or juvenile ra and/or ra before the age of 16 * prior history of or current inflammatory joint disease other than ra * exposure to tocilizumab (either intravenous \[iv\] or sc) at any time prior to baseline * treatment with any investigational agent within 4 weeks (or 5 half-lives of the investigational drug, whichever is longer) of screening * previous treatment with any cell-depleting therapies * intra-articular or parenteral corticosteroids within 4 weeks prior to baseline * history of severe allergic or anaphylactic reactions to human, humanized, or murine monoclonal antibodies * evidence of serious uncontrolled concomitant cardiovascular, nervous system, pulmonary, renal, hepatic, endocrine (including uncontrolled diabetes mellitus), or gastrointestinal disease * known active current or history of recurrent bacterial, viral, fungal, mycobacterial, or other infections * any major episode of infection requiring hospitalization or treatment with iv antibiotics within 4 weeks of screening or oral antibiotics within 2 weeks of screening * active tuberculosis (tb) requiring treatment within the previous 3 years * positive for hepatitis b surface antigen or hepatitis c antibody * primary or secondary immunodeficiency (history of or currently active) * evidence of active malignant disease, malignancies diagnosed within the previous 10 years (except for basal and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or carcinoma in situ of the cervix uteri that has been excised and cured), or breast cancer diagnosed within the previous 20 years * pregnant or breast feeding women * neuropathies or other conditions that might interfere with pain evaluation