Certolizumab pegol (CZP) is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonist which is marketed for the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (Keystone, 2008) when given in combination with methotrexate (MTX). CZP is a PEGylated Fab' fragment of humanized anti-TNF antibody with a high affinity for TNF.~RA is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease with multiple treatment strategies and combination therapies available including analgesia, anti-inflammatory drugs and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Previous trials have demonstrated positive results from the use of CZP but have compared its use to placebo in a fixed dose concomitant medication regime rather than using a more realistic dynamic treatment strategy normally employed in the clinical outpatient care of RA.~This trial is aimed at comparing the use of CZP in patients with moderate to severe RA when administered in conjunction with an intensive, adapted treatment strategy (Group A) versus a fixed-dosed program (Group B). CZP will be given in conjunction with MTX (a disease modifying anti-arthritic drug - or DMARD), steroidal therapy in the form of prednisolone and joint infiltrations of triamcinolone (another corticosteroid) and lidocaine (a pain therapy). Both treatment arms will include these concomitant medications but there will be an intensive adaptive approach adopted for the 'treat to target' population of Group A with a more fixed-dose approach set-out for Group B. Patients will be centrally randomized after screening to ensure a 50:50 ratio for both Groups in the study.~STUDY HYPOTHESIS~Tight control of an adaptive concomitant treatment strategy after initiation of CZP will lead to an improved outcome of RA patients with an active disease despite DMARD treatment.
Tight control of an adaptive concomitant treatment strategy after initiation of CZP will lead to an improved outcome of RA patients with an active disease despite DMARD treatment.