Efficacy of treatment intensification with adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab in rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review of cohort studies with focus on dose

Therapeutic drug monitoring of infliximab compared to standard clinical treatment with infliximab: study protocol for a randomised, controlled, open, parallel-group, phase IV study (the NOR-DRUM study)

Background

Infliximab (INX) and other tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) have revolutionised the treatment of several immune mediated inflammatory diseases. Still, many patients do not respond sufficiently to therapy or lose efficacy over time. The large interindividual variation in serum drug concentrations on standard doses and the development of anti-drug antibodies are thought to be major reasons for treatment failures. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), an individualised treatment strategy based on systematic assessments of serum drug concentrations, has been proposed as a clinical tool to optimise efficacy of INX treatment. TDM seems reasonable both from a clinical and an economical point of view, but the effectiveness of this treatment strategy has not yet been demonstrated in randomised clinical trials. The NORwegian DRUg Monitoring study (NOR-DRUM) aims to assess the effectiveness of TDM, both with regard to the achievement of remission in patients starting INX treatment (part A) as well as to maintain disease control in patients on INX treatment (part B).

Methods

The NOR-DRUM study is a randomised, open, controlled, parallel-group, comparative, multi-centre, national, superiority, phase IV study with two separate parts, NOR-DRUM A and NOR-DRUM B. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and psoriasis are included. In both study parts participants are randomised 1:1 to either TDM of infliximab (intervention group) or to standard treatment with infliximab without knowledge of drug levels or ADAb status (control group). NOR-DRUM A will include 400 patients starting INX therapy. The primary outcome is remission at 30 weeks. In NOR-DRUM B, 450 patients on maintenance treatment with INX will be included. The primary endpoint is occurrence of disease worsening during the 52-week study period.

Discussion

As the first trial to assess the effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of TDM in patients receiving TNFi for a range of immune mediated inflammatory diseases, we hope that the NOR-DRUM study will contribute to the advancement of evidence based personalised treatment with biological medicines.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03074656. Registered on 090317.

Clinical Effectiveness and Safety of Treatment With Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor α Drugs in a Cohort of Colombian Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical response at 24 months and evaluate the adverse events (AEs) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with etanercept 50 (injectable solution 50 mg prefilled syringe), etanercept 25 (lyophilized 25 mg), infliximab, adalimumab, or golimumab.

METHODS

A cohort study was carried out in patients with RA, in treatment with etanercept (injectable solution 50 mg prefilled syringe or lyophilized 25 mg), infliximab, adalimumab, or golimumab. Duration of study: follow-up was carried out for 24 months. The difference of initial and final 28-joint Disease Activity Score, remission incidence, difference of initial and final Health Assessment Questionnaire score, disability recovery, and AE rate were evaluated.

RESULTS

The study enrolled 435 patients (108 adalimumab, 107 infliximab, 92 etanercept 25 mg, 81 etanercept 50 mg, and 47 golimumab). For etanercept 50, the median difference between basal and at the end of follow-up 28-joint Disease Activity Score was 1.7. For golimumab, it was 1.4; for adalimumab, it was 1.1; for etanercept 25, it was 1.02; and for infliximab, it was 0.96 (p = 0.001). The median difference between basal and final Health Assessment Questionnaire ranged was 1.66 for etanercept 50, 1.34 for etanercept 25, 1.3 for golimumab, 1.24 for adalimumab, and 1.07 for infliximab (p = 0.0005). Comparatively, etanercept 50 presented the highest cumulative incidence (77%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 67%-86%) and remission incidence (64 cases per 100 person-months; 95% CI, 4.9-8.1 cases per 100 person-months) and the lowest AE rate (8.6 per 100 person-years; 95% CI, 5.3-15 per 100 person-years).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with RA treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor α drugs, the highest incidence of remission and the lowest rate of AEs were documented for the cohort exposed to etanercept 50 mg.

Outcomes of infliximab dose escalation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

INTRODUCTION

Dose escalation of infliximab in both primary and secondary nonresponders is widely reported; however, the usefulness of dose escalation has been disputed. The objective of this analysis is to evaluate trends in clinical efficacy following multiple infliximab dose escalations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

Patients enrolled in a US RA registry were included if they initiated infliximab at 3 mg/kg every 8 weeks, received ≥ 1 infliximab dose escalation within 12 months of initiation, and had ≥ 1 visit following dose escalation. Trends in mean Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) scores from visits following dose escalations were evaluated.

RESULTS

In patients who received 2 or 3 dose escalations, the initial (1 or 2) dose escalations resulted in reduced mean CDAI scores, but subsequent escalations did not further reduce disease activity. In patients who received ≥ 4 dose escalations, mean CDAI scores did not further reduce disease activity over time. Mean HAQ scores were stable over time in patients who received 2 or 3 dose escalations. In patients who received ≥ 4 dose escalations, mean HAQ scores decreased following 1 dose escalation but progressively increased following subsequent dose escalations.

CONCLUSION

Initial dose escalations (from 3 mg/kg to the equivalent of approximately 5 to 7 mg/kg) may be useful in controlling disease activity; however, there may be diminishing clinical benefit of further escalations, which can also increase the potential risk for infection and increase incremental drug costs.

KEY POINTS

• Initial infliximab dose escalations (1 to 2) may be useful in lowering disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. • There does not appear to be a clinical benefit in infliximab dose escalations above the equivalent of 5 to 7 mg/kg.

Methods to Compare Adverse Events in Twitter to FAERS, Drug Information Databases, and Systematic Reviews: Proof of Concept with Adalimumab

INTRODUCTION

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are associated with significant health-related and financial burden, and multiple sources are currently utilized to actively discover them. Social media has been proposed as a potential resource for monitoring ADRs, but drug-specific analytical studies comparing social media with other sources are scarce.

OBJECTIVES

Our objective was to develop methods to compare ADRs mentioned in social media with those in traditional sources: the US FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), drug information databases (DIDs), and systematic reviews.

METHODS

A total of 10,188 tweets mentioning adalimumab collected between June 2014 and August 2016 were included. ADRs in the corpus were extracted semi-automatically and manually mapped to standardized concepts in the Unified Medical Language System. ADRs were grouped into 16 biologic categories for comparisons. Frequencies, relative frequencies, disproportionality analyses, and rank ordering were used as metrics.

RESULTS

There was moderate agreement between ADRs in social media and traditional sources. "Local and injection site reactions" was the top ADR in Twitter, DIDs, and systematic reviews by frequency, ranked frequency, and index ranking. The next highest ADR in Twitter-fatigue-ranked fifth and seventh in FAERS and DIDs.

CONCLUSION

Social media posts often express mild and symptomatic ADRs, but rates are measured differently in scientific sources. ADRs in FAERS are reported as absolute numbers, in DIDs as percentages, and in systematic reviews as percentages, risk ratios, or other metrics, which makes comparisons challenging; however, overlap is substantial. Social media analysis facilitates open-ended investigation of patient perspectives and may reveal concepts (e.g. anxiety) not available in traditional sources.

Direct Comparative Effectiveness Among 3 Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Biologics in a Real-Life Cohort of Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective

This study aimed to compare the clinical response at 36 months and evaluate the adverse events in a cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with etanercept, infliximab, or adalimumab.

Methods

An observational retrospective cohort study was performed. Patients older than 18 years with active rheumatoid arthritis, for which the physician had initiated a treatment scheme with etanercept, infliximab, or adalimumab, were included in the study. The follow-up was conducted through at least trimestral evaluations during the course of 36 months. Outcomes evaluated included Disease Activity Score 28, level of disease activity, Health Assessment Questionnaire, and degree of disability.

Results

Three hundred seven subjects were included in the cohort (108 adalimumab, 107 infliximab, and 92 etanercept). The median Disease Activity Score 28 at the onset was 4.1 and 2.39 at month 36. There were no differences among the 3 medications (P = 0.51). The remission rate was of 7.4 per 100 people per month (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.6–8.3) without differences between groups. The initial Health Assessment Questionnaire median was 1.75 and 0.25 at 36 months. No differences per medicine were found (P = 0.54). The most common adverse effect was dermatitis. Eighteen cases of serious adverse effects occurred, including 11 cases of serious infectious events. The adverse events rates were as follows: infliximab, 24 per 100 people per year (95% CI, 19–29); adalimumab, 22 per 100 people per year (95% CI, 18–27); and etanercept, 12 per 100 people per year (95% CI, 8–16).

Conclusions

Etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab are 3 effective therapeutic anti–tumor necrosis factor alternatives to reduce the level of severity and the degree of disability generated by rheumatoid arthritis. Etanercept presented a rate of adverse events lower than those for infliximab and adalimumab.

Effect of Infliximab Dose Increase in Rheumatoid Arthritis at Different Trough Concentrations: A Cohort Study in Clinical Practice Conditions

Background

Evidence supporting treatment intensification in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is limited and controversial. We explored outcomes of infliximab dose increases and accounted for pre-existing trough levels in patients with active RA.

Methods

This study was a retrospective study of 42 RA patients who received increased infliximab following an insufficient response (DAS28 >3.2). Serum concentrations of infliximab and antibodies to infliximab (ATI) and DAS28 and EULAR clinical response parameters were recorded for 1 year. Analyses were performed in three patient groups that were defined by infliximab serum concentration prior to treatment enhancement: no detectable, low (<1.1 μg/mL) or high (≥1.1 μg/mL) drug levels.

Results

No circulating infliximab was detected in 20 patients (47.6%), but 13 (31%) and 9 (21.4%) patients exhibited low and high levels, respectively. ATI was only detected in patients with no detectable drug levels because the drug interferes with ELISA. DAS28 disease activity globally showed a modest improvement after dose escalation, but this improvement did not persist after 6 and 12 months. Infliximab serum levels increased significantly in the high group (p = 0.016), but no increase was achieved in the low and no detectable groups. The three study groups exhibited similar disease activity over time, and no improvement was observed in the non-responder EULAR rates.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the efficacy of an infliximab dose increase is limited, and the response is independent of the infliximab trough serum concentration that is achieved prior to escalation.

Anti-tumor necrosis factor-α therapy in uveitis

Since the first reported use in 2001 of an anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) agent, infliximab, for the treatment of uveitis, several new anti-TNF-α agents have emerged for the treatment of refractory noninfectious uveitides, although their use remains off-label in the US. These agents have demonstrated remarkable clinical antiinflammatory efficacy and a potential immunoregulatory role in selected uveitis patients, but it is currently unclear whether they can modify the natural history of disease. We review the rationale and clinical indications for this therapy, the differences between agents, how to manage dosing and intervals, and how to screen for and identify potential side effects. We also present a summary of the science behind the use of anti-TNF-α agents in ocular inflammation and the evidence for their efficacy.

Effectiveness of infliximab in refractory FDG PET-positive sarcoidosis

Inconclusive evidence for the efficacy of infliximab in sarcoidosis hinders the global use of this potentially beneficial drug. To study infliximab efficacy in a clinical setting, we performed a prospective open-label trial in patients refractory to conventional treatment. Patients (n=56) received eight infusions of 5 mg·kg(-1) infliximab. Pulmonary function, disease activity measured by (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) by positron emission tomography (PET) and quality of life were part of the clinical work-up. Infliximab levels were measured before every infusion. After 26 weeks of infliximab treatment, mean improvement in forced vital capacity (FVC) was 6.6% predicted (p=0.0007), whereas in the 6 months before start of treatment, lung function decreased. Maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax) of pulmonary parenchyma on (18)F-FDG PET decreased by 3.93 (p<0.0001). High SUVmax of pulmonary parenchyma at baseline predicted FVC improvement (R=0.62, p=0.0004). An overall beneficial response was seen in 79% of patients and a partial response was seen in 17% of patients. No correlation between infliximab trough level (mean 18.0 µg·mL(-1)) and initial response was found. In conclusion, infliximab causes significant improvement in FVC in refractory (18)F-FDG PET positive sarcoidosis. Especially in pulmonary disease, high (18)F-FDG PET SUVmax values at treatment initiation predict clinically relevant lung function improvement. These results suggest that inclusion of (18)F-FDG PET is useful in therapeutic decision-making in complex sarcoidosis.

Incidence and predictors of clinical response, re-induction dose, and maintenance dose escalation with certolizumab pegol in Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND

Certolizumab pegol (CERT) is indicated for reducing the signs and symptoms of Crohn's disease (CD) and maintaining clinical response. Patients losing response received an extra "capture" re-induction dose in the PRECiSE 4 study. We examined the use of certolizumab in a retrospective cohort of patients with CD at a single inflammatory bowel disease center.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective chart review of all adult patients with CD treated with CERT at the University of Chicago from April 22, 2008 to May 1, 2011. Demographics, disease characteristics, inflammatory bowel disease therapies, surgeries, CERT dosing, and clinical outcomes were recorded. Predictors of clinical response, re-induction dosing, and maintenance dose escalation were evaluated. Univariate, multivariate, and Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed for predictive variables of clinical response, re-induction dosing, and maintenance dose increases.

RESULTS

One hundred ten patients were identified; 23 were excluded. The remaining 87 patients had a sustained clinical response of 31.0%, remission of 14.9%, minimal or no response of 31.0%; 37.9% initially responded but lost response. In total, 35.6% of patients received a single re-induction dose of 400 mg after a mean of 29 weeks, predicted by prior anti-tumor necrosis factor (P = 0.007) and absence of perianal disease (P = 0.006); only 5 patients (16.1%) maintained a durable response or remission; 11.5% increased maintenance dosage after a mean of 50 weeks; all but 1 subsequently stopped CERT.

CONCLUSIONS

Some patients with CD (31%) achieved a sustained response. The majority of patients receiving re-induction dosing did not achieve a sustained clinical response. Previous treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy was associated with reduced responses, suggesting that CERT may be more effective as an initial anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy.

Impact of different infliximab dose regimens on treatment response and drug survival in 462 patients with psoriatic arthritis: results from the nationwide registries DANBIO and ICEBIO

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to describe dose regimens, dose escalation and clinical outcomes in TNF-α inhibitor (TNFi)-naive patients with PsA treated with infliximab in routine rheumatology care.

METHODS

We conducted an observational cohort study based on the nationwide Danish Rheumatologic Database (DANBIO) and Center for Rheumatology Research (ICEBIO) registries. Stratified by country, characteristics of patients treated with ≤3 mg infliximab/kg body weight, 3-5 mg/kg or ≥5 mg/kg every 8 weeks were described. Outcomes were evaluated by ACR 20%, 50% and 70% (ACR20/50/70) responses and European League Against Rheumatism good response after 6 months, disease activity after 12 months, Kaplan-Meier plots and regression analyses.

RESULTS

Four hundred and sixty-two patients (376 Danish, 86 Icelandic) received treatment with infliximab. In Danish patients, the starting dose was ≤3 mg/kg in 110 patients (29%), 3-5 mg/kg in 157 (42%), ≥5 mg/kg in 38 (10%) and unregistered in 71 (19%). In Icelandic patients, corresponding numbers were 64 (74%), 17 (27%), 0 (0%) and 5 (6%). Patients with a higher body weight received lower doses per kilogram. Danish patients received higher doses than Icelandic patients at baseline [median 3.1 (interquartile range 3.0-3.8) vs 2.3 (2.1-2.9) mg/kg, P < 0.05] and after 12 months [3.3 (3.0-4.5) vs 2.9 (2.2-3.5) mg/kg, P < 0.0001]. After 12 months, 58% of Danish and 66% of Icelandic patients maintained treatment. Danish patients had shorter drug survival than Icelandic patients (1183 vs 483 days). In univariate analyses stratified by country, time until dose escalation, response rates, drug survival and 1-year's disease activity were independent of starting dose. Drug survival was shorter among patients not receiving concomitant MTX.

CONCLUSION

In clinical practice, > 70% of Icelandic and Danish PsA patients treated with infliximab received sustained doses below the 5 mg/kg every 8 weeks recommended in international guidelines. Lower starting doses did not affect drug survival or response.