Conditions: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 2492
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The purpose of this study is to determine whether a weekly subcutaneous dose of abatacept yields clinical efficacy comparable to that of monthly intravenous doses of abatacept in participants with rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to current methotrexate therapy.

Detailed description:

Arms:
arm 1: Participants received 125 mg weekly SC abatacept injections (with an intravenous \[IV\] abatacept loading dose on Day 1, based on weight). A double-dummy design was used to protect the blind, thus, participants also received IV injections of placebo (IV Placebo) with the exception that on Day 1 a loading dose of IV abatacept replaced the IV Placebo treatment. arm 2: Participants received IV abatacept infusions on Days 1, 15, 29, and every 28 days, thereafter. A double-dummy design was used to protect the blind, thus, participants also received SC injections of placebo (SC Placebo).

Interventions: intervention 1: Subcutaneous (SC) Abatacept intervention 2: Intravenous (IV) Abatacept
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Participants received 125 mg weekly SC abatacept injections (with an intravenous \[IV\] abatacept loading dose on Day 1, based on weight). A double-dummy design was used to protect the blind, thus, participants also received IV injections of placebo (IV Placebo) with the exception that on Day 1 a loading dose of IV abatacept replaced the IV Placebo treatment. intervention 2: Participants received IV abatacept infusions on Days 1, 15, 29, and every 28 days, thereafter. A double-dummy design was used to protect the blind, thus, participants also received SC injections of placebo (SC Placebo).

500mg (for body weight up to 60 kg)

750 mg (body weight between 61 and 100 kg)

1g (body weight above 100 kg)infusions

Protocol document: