Adalimumab Dosing Interval Can Be Extended Without Adverse Effects

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and high concentrations of adalimumab can extend their standard dosing interval for adalimumab therapy without losing disease control, according to the findings of a recent study.

The study included 55 patients with RA who were being treated with 44 mg of adalimumab every other week for at least 28 weeks and had adalimumab trough concentrations greater than 8 µg/mL. Patients were randomly assigned to receive adalimumab every 3 weeks (prolongation group) or to continue receiving adalimumab every other week. The mean change in disease activity score for 28 joints (ΔDAS28-ESR) after 28 weeks was assessed as the primary outcome, with a non-inferiority margin of 0.6 points.
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After 28 weeks, the mean ΔDAS28 was –0.14±SD 0.61 among those in the prolongation group and was 0.30±0.52 among those in the continuation group. The mean difference was 0.44 and was significantly in favor of the prolongation group, according to the researchers.

“Adalimumab-treated patients with RA with trough concentrations >8 µg/mL can prolong their standard dosing interval to once every 3 weeks without loss of disease control,” the researchers concluded.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

I’Ami MJ, Krieckaert CL, Nurmohamed MT, et al. Successful reduction of overexposure in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with high serum adalimumab concentrations: an open-label, non-inferiority, randomised clinical trial [Published online before print 22 September 2017]. Ann Rheum Dis. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2017-211781.