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Research ArticleArticle

Safety and Efficacy of the Selective Costimulation Modulator Abatacept in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Receiving Background Methotrexate: A 5-year Extended Phase IIB Study

Rene Westhovens, Joel M. Kremer, Larry W. Moreland, Paul Emery, Anthony S. Russell, Tracy Li, Richard Aranda, Jean-Claude Becker, Keqin Qi and Maxime Dougados
The Journal of Rheumatology March 2009, jrheum.080813; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.080813
Rene Westhovens
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Joel M. Kremer
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Larry W. Moreland
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Paul Emery
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Anthony S. Russell
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Tracy Li
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Richard Aranda
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Jean-Claude Becker
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Keqin Qi
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Maxime Dougados
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Abstract

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of abatacept plus methotrexate (MTX) over 5 years in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods Patients were randomized to abatacept 10 or 2 mg/kg or placebo, plus MTX. Patients completing the 1-year, double-blind period entered the longterm extension, where all patients received a fixed dose of abatacept ~10 mg/kg.We describe safety analyses for all patients who received at least 1 dose of abatacept and efficacy analyses for the original ~10 mg/kg abatacept-treated group, over 5 years.

Results Of the 235 abatacept- or placebo-treated patients completing the double-blind period, 219 entered the longterm extension; 130 (59.4%) were continuing at Year 5. No unexpected safety events were observed during the longterm extension compared with the double-blind period. Incidence rates of adverse events (AE) and serious AE were 489.7 and 20.0/100 patient-years in Year 1 versus 374.9 and 18.9/100 patient-years in the cumulative period, respectively. Using exploratory analyses, improvements observed at Year 1 in the 10 mg/kg group were maintained at Year 5, as assessed by ACR responses (ACR20 = 77.1% vs 82.7%; ACR50 = 53.0% vs 65.4%; ACR70 = 28.9% vs 40.4% at Years 1 and 5, respectively) and disease activity (Low Disease Activity State = 48.2% vs 58.5%; Disease Activity Score-28-defined remission = 25.3% vs 45.3% at Years 1 and 5, respectively).

Conclusion Abatacept maintained the efficacy observed at Year 1 over 5 years of treatment, and demonstrated consistent safety and tolerability. These data, along with relatively high retention rates, support the longterm clinical benefit provided by selective T cell costimulation modulation. Clinical trial registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; clinical trial registration number: NCT00254293.

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The Journal of Rheumatology
Vol. 52, Issue 6
1 Jun 2025
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Safety and Efficacy of the Selective Costimulation Modulator Abatacept in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Receiving Background Methotrexate: A 5-year Extended Phase IIB Study
Rene Westhovens, Joel M. Kremer, Larry W. Moreland, Paul Emery, Anthony S. Russell, Tracy Li, Richard Aranda, Jean-Claude Becker, Keqin Qi, Maxime Dougados
The Journal of Rheumatology Mar 2009, jrheum.080813; DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.080813

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Safety and Efficacy of the Selective Costimulation Modulator Abatacept in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Receiving Background Methotrexate: A 5-year Extended Phase IIB Study
Rene Westhovens, Joel M. Kremer, Larry W. Moreland, Paul Emery, Anthony S. Russell, Tracy Li, Richard Aranda, Jean-Claude Becker, Keqin Qi, Maxime Dougados
The Journal of Rheumatology Mar 2009, jrheum.080813; DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.080813
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