Trial results
AI generated results summary. Written by an AI model from the official source data and checked on a sample basis. It can contain mistakes, so confirm anything important against the original source. How we use AI
According to the results reported on ClinicalTrials.gov, this trial enrolled 351 people with rheumatoid arthritis across three groups: one group received abatacept combined with methotrexate (119 people), one received abatacept alone with a dummy (placebo) version of methotrexate (116 people), and one received methotrexate alone with a placebo version of abatacept (116 people). The trial was measuring how many participants reached "remission" — meaning their joint disease activity score dropped below a certain threshold — using a scoring system called the DAS28-CRP, which takes into account tender and swollen joints, a blood marker of inflammation, and the patient's own rating of their health. The reported data shows that for the main (primary) outcome — reaching remission at month 12 — about 60.9% of people in the abatacept-plus-methotrexate group met that threshold, compared with 45.2% in the methotrexate-alone group. When a stricter measure was applied — remission at both month 12 and month 18 — the reported figures were 14.8% and 7.8% respectively. For the abatacept-alone group, the reported remission rate at month 12 was 42.5%, dropping to 12.4% when both time points were required. A separate scoring tool called the SDAI also showed remission rates at month 12 of 42.0% (combination group), 29.3% (abatacept alone), and 25.0% (methotrexate alone). Disease activity scores across all three groups decreased from their starting points over the course of the trial, with the reported reductions being largest in the combination group at most time points measured. These are the results as reported to ClinicalTrials.gov. They are not medical advice — always discuss what they mean for you with your doctor.
View full results on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Read the linked publication on PubMed (PMID 35172859) ↗
These are the results as reported to ClinicalTrials.gov, not medical advice. Verify independently with the trial site and discuss what they mean for you with your doctor.
Phase 3 Rheumatoid Arthritis Trial, Completed
Who may be able to join
AI generated eligibility summary. Written by an AI model from the official source data and checked on a sample basis. It can contain mistakes, so confirm anything important against the original source. How we use AI
Who might be able to join this trial:
- You have active joint swelling and inflammation in at least 2 joints (one of which must be a small joint, such as in the hand or foot), and this has been present for at least 8 weeks before your initial assessment
- Your joint symptoms started no more than 2 years before your initial assessment
- You have tested positive for a specific antibody called anti-CCP2, which is associated with rheumatoid arthritis
- You have either never taken methotrexate, or have had very limited exposure to it (no more than 10 mg per week for 4 weeks or less, and none in the month before your assessment)
- You have never been treated with any biologic medications, including experimental ones
- Your disease activity score, measured using a specific scoring system (DAS28-CRP), is 3.2 or higher at your initial assessment
- If you were taking certain arthritis medications (chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, or sulfasalazine), you have stopped taking them for at least 28 days before the study begins
- If you are taking steroid tablets, you have been on a stable low dose (10 mg per day or less of prednisone or equivalent) for at least 4 weeks
- You are able to have an MRI scan
Who may not be able to join:
- You have been diagnosed with another rheumatic disease, such as lupus
- You have received steroid treatment by injection or drip (into a vein, muscle, or joint) within 4 weeks before the study starts
- You are planning to have or expecting to need joint replacement surgery
- Your doctor believes you are likely to need high-dose steroid treatment during the study for another condition
- You have had a cancer diagnosis within the last 5 years
- You have had a serious bacterial infection in the last 3 months that was not fully treated or cleared up with antibiotics, or you have ongoing or repeated bacterial infections
- You are considered to be at risk for tuberculosis
- You currently have signs of an active bacterial or viral infection, including HIV, shingles (herpes zoster), or cytomegalovirus (CMV) that cleared up less than 2 months ago (confirm with trial site)
Important: Always verify eligibility with the trial site directly before applying.
Based on publicly available eligibility criteria from ClinicalTrials.gov. Verify directly with the trial site before acting. This is not medical advice.
Contact this trial
Principal Investigator: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Australian sites
Contact details sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. Verify directly with the trial site before attending.
GP referral letter
Print a one-page summary to share with your doctor.
Trial details
Where this trial is recruiting
6 site(s) in Australia. Confirm current status and contact details directly with the trial site.
Primary endpoints
Percentage of Participants Who Achieved Remission by Disease Activity Score 28 Based on C-reactive Protein (DAS28-CRP) Criteria at Month 12 and at Both Months 12 and 18
Can't join this trial?
Data last synced from ClinicalTrials.gov: 27 July 2026. Trial status can change. Always verify current status directly with the trial site before making any decision.