long-term efficacy and safety of repeated ofatumumab treatment courses in ra patients who previously received ofatumumab or placebo in trial hx-cd20-403

Conditions: Arthritis, Rheumatoid

Summary: a 3-year open-label trial for patients who previously participated in trial hx-cd20-403 and who fulfill the eligibility criteria for this trial (gen413) . th e primary purpose of the trial is to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of repeated courses ( a maximum of 9 treatment courses) of ofatumumab in ra patients who previously received ofatumumab or placebo in trial hx-cd20-403.

all patients who fulfill the eligibility criteria for this trial , will initiate at least one treatment course of ofatumumab, and depending of subsequent worsening in disease activity will be eligible to received further treatment through the 156 week treatment period: a maximum of a further 8 treatment courses will be given at individualized time intervals . the interval between each treatment course will be at least 16 weeks with the last treatment course given no later than week 130 after baseline (visit 2a). after each treatment course the patients will attend their next trial visit 8 weeks after infusion 1, followed by trial visits every 4 weeks up to week 24, and subsequently every 8 weeks until the next treatment course. after completing the treatment period or after withdrawing from the treatment period prematurely patients will be followed every 12 weeks (follow-up period) until cd19+ cells \&/or igg levels have returned to baseline or normal levels.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * previously received ofatumumab or placebo in trial hx-cd20-403. * patients on methotrexate therapy (7.5 - 25 mg/week, p.o., i.m., and/or s.c.). * oral corticosteroids therapy (≤ 10 mg/day prednisolone or equivalent). * active disease at the time of screening as defined by: * 3 swollen joints (of 28 joints assessed) and ≥ 3 tender joints (of 28 joints assessed), das28≥3.2 (based on esr) exclusion criteria: * use of dmards other than methotrexate or exposure to other cell depleting therapy, including investigational compounds \< 6 months prior to visit 2 a. * patients who have received treatment with any non-marketed drug substance within 4 weeks prior to visit 1 (screening). * breast feeding women or women with a positive pregnancy test at visit 1 (screening). * received anti-cancer therapy, corticosteroids (intra-articular, i.m., or i.v.), or live/attenuated vaccinations, or exposure to cyclophosphamide, nitrogen mustard, chlorambucil or other alkylating agents \< 5 years prior to screening. * past or current malignancy, except for cervical carcinoma stage 1b or less, non-invasive basal cell and squamous cell skin carcinoma, malignant melanoma with a complete response of a duration of \> 10 years, or other cancer diagnoses with a complete response of a duration of \> 5 years. * chronic or ongoing active infectious disease requiring systemic treatment. * clinically significant cardiac disease, or history of significant cerebrovascular disease. significant concurrent, uncontrolled medical conditions, but not limited to, renal, hepatic, hematological, gastrointestinal, endocrine, pulmonary, neurological, cerebral psychiatric disease * known or suspected hiv positive, positive serology for hepatitis b (hb), positive test for hepatitis c, or positive plasma or white cell jc virus (jcv) pcr (either compartment). * a circulating igg level \<lower limit of normal. * known hypersensitivity to components of the investigational medicinal product. * patients known or suspected of not being able to comply with a study protocol. * women of child bearing potential not will to use adequate contraception during study