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Rheumatoid Arthritis: Comparison of Active Therapies in Patients With Active Disease Despite Methotrexate Therapy (RACAT)
This study is currently recruiting participants.
Verified by Department of Veterans Affairs, June 2009
First Received: November 29, 2006   Last Updated: June 30, 2009   History of Changes
Sponsor: Department of Veterans Affairs
Collaborator: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Information provided by: Department of Veterans Affairs
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00405275
  Purpose

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints leading to joint destruction, with significant long-term morbidity and mortality. Early treatment of RA patients with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) significantly decreases these complications. Methotrexate (MTX) is an excellent, economical first-line DMARD used to treat a majority of RA patients. While most patients respond well to MTX, many continue to have active disease. Therefore, understanding how to best treat RA patients with active disease despite MTX therapy is critically important. Although a number of therapies with significantly different economic implications have been shown to be effective when added to MTX, no trial has directly compared active therapies. This study will compare therapeutic strategies using two regimens with proven efficacy when added to MTX therapy; a) hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine (cost ~ $1000 per year); b) the tumor necrosis factor inhibitor, etanercept (cost ~ $12,000 per year).

We propose a bi-national multi-center randomized, double-blind equivalency trial comparing (A) the strategy of initially adding hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine to MTX in patients with active disease despite MTX, with a switch at 24 weeks to etanercept in nonresponders to (B) a strategy of adding etanercept to MTX, with a switch to hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine in nonresponders at 24 weeks. If we find that the strategy of first adding hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine to MTX identifies a subset of responsive patients and that there is no harm to nonresponders because of early rescue with etanercept, then this less expensive option should become the standard treatment for MTX resistant patients.

Six hundred RA patients with active disease despite treatment with MTX as indicated by a Disease Activity Score with 28 joints (DAS28) of e 4.4 units will be randomized. A DAS improvement of d 1.2 (validated as clinically significant) at 24 weeks will be used to identify early nonresponder who will switch therapy. Subjects with a DAS28 improvement of > 1.2 at 24 weeks will remain on their initial therapy. The primary endpoint is achievement of a DAS28 of d 3.2 (validated as representing low disease activity) at 48 weeks. The secondary endpoint is comparison of radiographic progression of disease at 48 weeks, as measured by the change in Sharp score. Economic and functional outcomes will be assessed and a serum and DNA bank will be established to evaluate potential biomarkers predictive of treatment response/toxicity and disease progression. This 30 month trial will recruit 600 subjects over 18 months. At the end of the 48 week blinded active therapy portion of the trial, the blind will be broken and data will be collected in an open fashion until all 600 patients have completed the 48 week portion of the trial.


Condition Intervention
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Drug: E-551
Drug: methotrexate
Drug: S-551
Drug: H-551

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Placebo Control, Parallel Assignment, Efficacy Study
Official Title: CSP #551 - Rheumatoid Arthritis: Comparison of Active Therapies in Patients With Active Disease Despite Methotrexate Therapy

Resource links provided by NLM:


Further study details as provided by Department of Veterans Affairs:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • DAS28 of 3.2 or less [ Time Frame: Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Estimated Enrollment: 600
Study Start Date: July 2007
Estimated Study Completion Date: September 2011
Estimated Primary Completion Date: February 2011 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
1: Active Comparator
Etanercept and Methotrexate
Drug: E-551
etanercept or placebo
Drug: methotrexate
baseline methotrexate is maintained throughout the study and is not provided by the sponsor
2: Active Comparator
Hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine and methotrexate
Drug: S-551
sulfasalazine or placebo
Drug: H-551
hydroxychloroquine or placebo
Drug: methotrexate
baseline methotrexate is maintained throughout the study and is not provided by the sponsor

Detailed Description:

The main objective of this proposal is to compare two successful treatment strategies that have significantly different economic implications head-to-head in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have active disease despite methotrexate therapy.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints leading to joint destruction, with significant long-term morbidity and mortality. Early treatment of RA patients with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) significantly decreases these complications. Methotrexate (MTX) is an excellent, economical first-line DMARD used to treat a majority of RA patients. While most patients respond well to MTX, many continue to have active disease. Therefore, understanding how to best treat RA patients with active disease despite MTX therapy is critically important. Although a number of therapies with significantly different economic implications have been shown to be effective when added to MTX, no trial has directly compared active therapies. This study will compare therapeutic strategies using two regimens with proven efficacy when added to MTX therapy; a) hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine (cost ~ $1000 per year); b) the tumor necrosis factor inhibitor, etanercept (cost ~ $12,000 per year).

We propose a bi-national multi-center randomized, double-blind equivalency trial comparing (A) the strategy of initially adding hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine to MTX in patients with active disease despite MTX, with a switch at 24 weeks to etanercept in nonresponders to (B) a strategy of adding etanercept to MTX, with a switch to hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine in nonresponders at 24 weeks. If we find that the strategy of first adding hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine to MTX identifies a subset of responsive patients and that there is no harm to nonresponders because of early rescue with etanercept, then this less expensive option should become the standard treatment for MTX resistant patients.

Six hundred RA patients with active disease despite treatment with MTX as indicated by a Disease Activity Score with 28 joints (DAS28) of greater than or equal to 4.4 units will be randomized. A DAS improvement of greater than or equal to 1.2 (validated as clinically significant) at 24 weeks will be used to identify early nonresponder who will switch therapy. Subjects with a DAS28 improvement of > 1.2 at 24 weeks will remain on their initial therapy. The primary endpoint is achievement of a DAS28 of less than or equal to 3.2 (validated as representing low disease activity) at 48 weeks. The secondary endpoint is comparison of radiographic progression of disease at 48 weeks, as measured by the change in Sharp score. Economic and functional outcomes will be assessed and a serum and DNA bank will be established to evaluate potential biomarkers predictive of treatment response/toxicity and disease progression. This 30 month trial will recruit 600 subjects over 18 months. At the end of the 48 week blinded active therapy portion of the trial, the blind will be broken and data will be collected in an open fashion until all 600 patients have completed the 48 week portion of the trial.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years and older
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. All patients must fulfill ACR classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis.
  2. All patients must have been 16 years of age or older at time of diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.
  3. All patients must be 18 years of age or older at the time of entry into the study.
  4. All patients will have been receiving oral or subcutaneous methotrexate 15 to 25 mg/week (unless intolerant and on a minimum 10 mg/week) at a constant dose for at least 4 weeks, and on any methotrexate for no less than 12 weeks.
  5. All patients will have active disease as defined by a DAS28 of greater than or equal to 4.4.
  6. If patients are receiving corticosteroids, they must have been on stable dose (less than or equal to 10 mg prednisone or equivalent) for at least two weeks prior to screening.
  7. If patients are using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), they must be on stable doses for at least one week prior to screening.
  8. If patients have taken leflunomide, cyclosporine, gold, Anakinra, azathioprine, or penicillamine in combination with methotrexate, they must have stopped this therapy at least 8 weeks prior to randomization.
  9. Laboratory tests must meet the following criteria within 2 weeks of randomization:

    1. Serum creatinine 1.8 mg/dL
    2. Hemoglobin 9 g/dL
    3. WBC 3000 mc/L
    4. Neutrophils 1000 mc/L
    5. Platelets 100,000 mc/L
    6. Serum transaminase level (AST or ALT, whichever is followed at the site) not exceeding 1.2 times upper limit of normal.
    7. Albumin no less than 1.0 g/dL (10 g/L) below lower limit of normal. Anything below lower limit of normal must have been stable (or improving) for no less than 90 days. Stable is defined as changes of no more than 0.2 g/dL (2 g/L).
  10. All patients must be capable of giving informed consent and able to adhere to study visit schedule.
  11. Subject or designee must have the ability to self-inject investigational product or have a caregiver who can inject subcutaneous injections
  12. Subjects must meet one of the following criteria with regard to tuberculosis. PPD must be within 180 days of randomization if the patient has no recent exposure/travel history, or within 90 days if the patient has a recent exposure/travel history.

    1. Negative PPD; or
    2. Positive PPD <5 mm, with a negative chest x-ray; or
    3. Positive PPD >5mm, treated for at least 28 days with INH.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Previous intolerance to methotrexate (unless able to tolerate at least 10 mg/week)
  2. Sensitivity to study medications
  3. Previous treatment with methotrexate, sulfasalazine or hydroxychloroquine in combination with each other for longer than 4 weeks duration. No combination use is allowed within 4 weeks of screening.
  4. No bed or wheelchair-bound patients
  5. Previous treatment with a TNF- inhibitor (etanercept, infliximab or adalimumab) for more than 5 weeks of therapy. Previous treatment with TNF- inhibitor must have been stopped for reasons other than toxicity or efficacy. No TNF- inhibitor therapy is allowed within the following time frames:

    1. Last dose of etanercept must have been at least 4 weeks before screening.
    2. Last dose of adalimumab or infliximab must have been at least 8 weeks prior to screening.

    Example of an eligible patient: A patient found he could not afford the co-pays for a TNF inhibitor after two doses and stopped taking the medication two months before being evaluated for this trial.

  6. Evidence of important acute or chronic infections (no IV antibiotics within 1 month, and no PO antibiotics within 2 weeks)
  7. Pregnant or nursing women
  8. Women of childbearing potential or their partners who are not practicing an acceptable form of birth control as defined by investigator
  9. Active substance abuse or psychiatric illness likely to interfere with protocol completion
  10. History of multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis, or optic neuritis
  11. History of macular degeneration
  12. New York Heart Association Class III or IV congestive h
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00405275

Contacts
Contact: James R O'Dell (402) 346-8800 ext 5359 James.O'Dell@va.gov
Contact: Megan S Hollibaugh, BS (402) 995-4215 megan.hollibaugh@va.gov

  Hide Study Locations
Locations
United States, California
Pacific Arthritis Center (RAIN) Recruiting
Santa Maria, California, United States, 93454-6945
Contact: Karen Kolba, MD     805-925-8899     kskolba@bigfoot.com    
VA Medical Center, San Francisco Recruiting
San Francisco, California, United States, 94121
Contact: David Daikh, MD     415-750-2104     david.daikh@ucsf.edu    
VA Greater Los Angeles HCS, Sepulveda Recruiting
Sepulveda, California, United States, 91343
Contact: Jay Persselin, MD     310-268-3633     jay.persselin@va.gov    
United States, District of Columbia
VA Medical Center, DC Recruiting
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, 20422
Contact: Gail Kerr, MD     202-745-8154     Gail.Kerr@med.va.gov    
United States, Florida
James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa Recruiting
Tampa, Florida, United States, 33612
Contact: Joanne Valeriano-Marcet, MD     813-974-2681     jvaleria@hsc.usf.edu    
United States, Massachusetts
VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Campus Recruiting
Brockton, Massachusetts, United States, 02301
Contact: Samardeep Gupta, MD     857-203-5111     samar.gupta@va.gov    
United States, Minnesota
St. Mary's/ Duluth Clinic Health System (RAIN) Recruiting
Duluth, Minnesota, United States, 55804
Contact: Raymond Hausch, MD     218-722-8364 ext 6-8888     rhausch@smdc.org    
VA Medical Center, Minneapolis Recruiting
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55417
Contact: Maron Mahowald, MD     612-725-2000 ext 4190     mahow001@umn.edu    
Park Nicollet (RAIN) Recruiting
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55417
Contact: Peter Kent, MD     952-993-3366     kentpd@parknicollet.com    
United States, Missouri
VA Medical Center, St Louis Recruiting
St Louis, Missouri, United States, 63106
Contact: Amy Joseph, MD     314-289-6563     amy.joseph@va.gov    
United States, Nebraska
VA Medical Center, Omaha Recruiting
Omaha, Nebraska, United States, 68105-1873
Contact: Ted R Mikuls         ted.mikuls@va.gov    
Contact: Megan S Hollibaugh, BS     (402) 995-4215     megan.hollibaugh@va.gov    
Study Chair: James R. O'Dell            
United States, North Dakota
Bone, Spine Sports Clinic (RAIN) Recruiting
Bismarck, North Dakota, United States, 58501
Contact: Lynne Peterson, MD     701-323-6140     lpeterson@mohs.org    
United States, Oregon
VA Medical Center, Portland Terminated
Portland, Oregon, United States, 97201
United States, Pennsylvania
VA Medical Center, Philadelphia Recruiting
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
Contact: H. Ralph Schumacher, MD     215-823-4244     schumacr@mail.med.upenn.edu    
VA Pittsburgh Health Care System Recruiting
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15240
Contact: Kent C. Kwoh, MD     412-383-8100     kwoh@pitt.edu    
Geisinger Medical Group - State College Recruiting
State College, Pennsylvania, United States, 16801
Contact: William Ayoub, MD     814-231-4560     wayoub@geisinger.edu    
Geisinger Medical Center Recruiting
Danville, Pennsylvania, United States, 17822
Contact: Thomas Olenginski, MD     570-271-5845     TPOLENGINSKI@geisinger.edu    
United States, South Carolina
Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston Terminated
Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 29401-5799
United States, South Dakota
Rapid City Medical Center (RAIN) Recruiting
Rapid City, South Dakota, United States, 57701
Contact: Cynthia Weaver, MD     605-342-3280     weaver2aj@tds.net    
Avera Research Institute (RAIN) Recruiting
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States, 57117-5046
Contact: Joseph Fanciullo, MD     605-331-5890        
United States, Texas
VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas Recruiting
Dallas, Texas, United States, 75216
Contact: Andreas Reimold, MD     214-857-0409     andreas.reimold@va.gov    
United States, Utah
VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City Recruiting
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84148
Contact: Gary Kunkel, MD     801-581-4333     Gary.Kunkel@hsc.utah.edu    
United States, Vermont
VA Medical & Regional Office Center, White River Recruiting
White River Junction, Vermont, United States, 05009-0001
Contact: Thomas Taylor, MD     802-295-9363 ext 5491     Tom.Taylor@va.gov    
Canada, Alberta
University of Calgary (CRRC) Recruiting
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 4N1
Contact: Liam Martin, MD     403-220-7725     lmartin@ucalgary.ca    
Canada, Manitoba
University of Manitoba (CRRC) Recruiting
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3A 1M4
Contact: Hani El-Gabalaway, MD     204-787-2209     acr@hsc.mb.ca    
Canada, Ontario
Mount Sinai Hospital (CRRC) Recruiting
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5T 3L9
Contact: Vivian Bykerk, MD     416-586-8616     VBykerk@mtsinai.on.ca    
Newmarket (CRRC) Recruiting
Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, L3Y 3R7
Contact: J. Carter Thorne, MD     905-895-1666     cartho@rogers.com    
Brampton (CRRC) Recruiting
Brampton, Ontario, Canada, L6T 3J1
Contact: Vandana Ahluwalia, MD     905-799-0800     vandana@sympatico.ca    
Canada, Quebec
Crc-chus (Crrc) Recruiting
Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, J1H 5N4
Contact: Gilles Boire, MD     819-564-5261     Gilles.Boire@USherbrooke.ca    
Hopital Notre Dame (CRRC) Recruiting
Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H2L 4M1
Contact: Boulos Haraoui, MD     514-523-5273     bharaoui@videotron.ca    
Sponsors and Collaborators
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Investigators
Study Chair: James R. O'Dell VA Medical Center, Omaha
  More Information

No publications provided

Responsible Party: Department of Veterans Affairs ( O'Dell, James - Study Chair )
Study ID Numbers: 551
Study First Received: November 29, 2006
Last Updated: June 30, 2009
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00405275     History of Changes
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government;   United States: Food and Drug Administration

Keywords provided by Department of Veterans Affairs:
antineoplastic
antiparasitics
antirheumatics
chronic diseases
clinical trial
connective tissue
double-blind
drug treatment
gastric medications
joint
multi-site trial
musculoskeletal
randomized
rheumatoid arthritis

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Antimetabolites
Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Immunologic Factors
Antineoplastic Agents
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Arthritis, Rheumatoid
Reproductive Control Agents
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Arthritis
Therapeutic Uses
Abortifacient Agents
Connective Tissue Diseases
Methotrexate
Dermatologic Agents
Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors
Autoimmune Diseases
Immune System Diseases
Joint Diseases
Enzyme Inhibitors
Rheumatic Diseases
Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal
Folic Acid Antagonists
Immunosuppressive Agents
Pharmacologic Actions
Antirheumatic Agents

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on November 27, 2009