Conditions: Rheumatoid Arthritis
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 1196
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This 3 arm study will compare the safety and efficacy, with respect to a reduction in signs and symptoms and prevention of joint damage, of tocilizumab versus placebo, both in combination with methotrexate (MTX) in patients with moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis. Patients will be randomized to receive tocilizumab 4 mg/kg IV, tocilizumab 8 mg/kg IV or placebo IV, every 4 weeks. All patients will also receive methotrexate, 10-25 mg/week. The anticipated time on study treatment is 1-2 years and the target sample size is 500+ individuals. After completion of the 2 year study participants could participate in the optional 3 year open label extension phase (year 3 to 5).

Detailed description:

Arms:
arm 1: Tocilizumab 4 mg/kg IV every 4 weeks plus MTX 10-25 mg (oral or parenteral) weekly for 52 weeks. From Week 16 participants with \< 20% improvement in swollen and tender joints counts were eligible for escape therapy with tocilizumab. After Week 52 participants were able to switch to open label treatment with tocilizumab 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks for 12 months in year 2 (except patients who had a \>70% improvement in both swollen and tender joint counts who remained on blinded treatment). Participants who completed year 2 of the study were eligible to enter an optional open-label long-term extension period (Year 3 to 5) and received Tocilizumab 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks. arm 2: Tocilizumab 8 mg/kg IV every 4 weeks plus MTX 10-25 mg (oral or parenteral) weekly for 52 weeks. From Week 16 participants with \< 20% improvement in swollen and tender joints counts were eligible for escape therapy with tocilizumab. After Week 52 participants were able to switch to open label treatment with tocilizumab 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks for 12 months in year 2 (except patients who had a \>70% improvement in both swollen and tender joint counts who remained on blinded treatment). Participants who completed year 2 of the study were eligible to enter an optional open-label long-term extension period (Year 3 to 5) and received Tocilizumab 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks. arm 3: Placebo intravenously (IV) every 4 weeks plus methotrexate (MTX) 10-25 mg (oral or parenteral) weekly for 52 weeks. From Week 16 participants with \< 20% improvement in swollen and tender joints counts were eligible for escape therapy with tocilizumab. After Week 52 participants were able to switch to open label treatment with tocilizumab 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks for 12 months in year 2 (except patients who had a \>70% improvement in both swollen and tender joint counts who remained on blinded treatment). Participants who completed year 2 of the study were eligible to enter an optional open-label long-term extension period (Year 3 to 5) and received Tocilizumab 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks.

Interventions: intervention 1: tocilizumab [RoActemra/Actemra] intervention 2: Placebo intervention 3: Methotrexate
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: 4 mg/kg or 8 mg/kg IV/month every 4 weeks. intervention 2: IV/month intervention 3: 10-25 mg/week

Protocol document: