Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) Monday reported additional data from its Phase IIIb trial or AVERT trial, which investigated the use of Orencia plus methotrexate or MTX in adult patients with symptoms of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis or RA for less than two years, positive for anti- Citrullinated Protein or anti-CCP antibodies, and naïve to treatment with methotrexate and biologic therapies for RA.
The results showed that first-line therapy with Orencia in combination with MTX resulted in patients with early RA achieving significantly higher rates of stringent measures of remission. It also reduced the development of anti-CCP antibodies, an indicator of more severe, persistent, and erosive disease in RA patients.
Sustained improvements on MRI endpoints were also observed showing the combination improved synovitis and osteitis scores at 12 months, and improved joint erosion scores at both 12 and 18 months, compared with MTX alone.
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