A Study of CNTO 136 (Sirukumab) Administered Subcutaneously in Japanese Patients With Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Unresponsive to Methotrexate or Sulfasalazine

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of sirukumab as a single therapy in Japanese patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have not responded to treatment with methotrexate (MTX) or sulfasalazine (SSZ).

This is a randomized (patients will be assigned to treatment by chance), double-blind (study personnel and patients will not know what treatments are being given), multicenter study. The expected duration of the study is 68 weeks. This will include 52 weeks of treatment with study agent with dosing every 2 weeks and 16 weeks of safety follow-up after the last dose. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), including MTX and SSZ, are not permitted from 4 weeks before the first dosing with study agent until Week 24. The use of DMARDs is discouraged at or any time after Week 24; however, patients who have less than 20% improvement from baseline in both swollen and tender joint counts at Week 24 will be allowed to take DMARDs. At or any time after Week 16, the initiation and/or adjustment of oral corticosteroids will be allowed for patients who have less than 20% improvement from baseline in both swollen and tender joint counts at Week 16.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Be a Japanese man or woman with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to the revised 1987 criteria of the American Rheumatism Association, for at least 3 months before screening
* Has moderately to severely active RA with at least 6 of 68 tender joints and 6 of 66 swollen joints, at screening and at baseline
* Has been unresponsive to adequate treatment with methotrexate (MTX), sulfasalazine (SSZ), or combination of MTX or SSZ with other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) at screening due to lack of benefit after at least 12 weeks of marketed dose of MTX or SSZ, as assessed by the treating physician. Documented lack of benefit may include inadequate improvement in joint counts, physical function, or overall disease activity
* If using oral corticosteroids, must be on a stable dose equivalent to \<=10 mg/day of prednisolone for at least 2 weeks prior to first dosing with study agent. If currently not using corticosteroids, the patient must not have received oral corticosteroids (by mouth) for at least 2 weeks prior to first dosing with study agent
* If using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or other analgesics (pain relievers) for RA, must be on a stable dose for at least 2 weeks prior to first dosing with study agent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Has a history of intolerance to at least 2 or inadequate response to at least one anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-alpha) agent after 3 months of therapy; has received anti-TNF-alpha (eg, infliximab, golimumab, adalimumab, or etanercept) within 3 months of first study agent dosing
* Has a history of intolerance to tocilizumab that precluded further treatment with it, or inadequate response to 3 months of tocilizumab (anti-IL-6 receptor) therapy; has used B-cell-depleting therapy (eg, rituximab) within 7 months of first study agent dosing or has evidence during screening of abnormally low B-cell level caused by previous B-cell depletion therapy; has used any other biologic therapy for the treatment of RA within 3 months of first study agent dosing; has a history of sirukumab use
* Has received intra-articular (IA), intramuscular (IM), or intravenous (IV) corticosteroids for RA, including adrenocorticotrophic hormone during the 4 weeks prior to first study agent dosing
* Has received leflunomide within 24 months before first study agent dosing and has not undergone a drug elimination procedure, unless the M1 metabolite is measured and is undetectable. Drug elimination procedure must be completed prior to obtaining informed consent
* Has a history of cyclophosphamide or cytotoxic agent use; has received cyclosporine A, azathioprine, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, oral or parenteral gold, or D-penicillamine within 4 weeks of first study agent dosing; has received an investigational drug (including investigational vaccines) or used an investigational medical device within 3 months or 5 half-lives, whichever is longer, before first study agent dosing