ively).
The proportion of subjects who underwent colectomy at any time within 54 weeks following the first infusion of study agent were collected and pooled from the ACT 1 and ACT 2 studies and their extensions. Fewer subjects underwent colectomy in the 5 mg/kg infliximab group (28/242 or 11.6% [N.S.]) and the 10 mg/kg infliximab group (18/242 or 7.4% [p=0.011]) than in the placebo group (36/244; 14.8%).
The reduction in incidence of colectomy was also examined in another randomised, double-blind study (C0168Y06) in hospitalised patients (n= 45) with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who failed to respond to IV corticosteroids and who were therefore at higher risk for colectomy. Significantly fewer colectomies occurred within 3 months of study infusion in patients who received a single dose of 5 mg/kg infliximab compared to patients who received placebo (29.2% vs 66.7% respectively, p=0.017).
In ACT 1 and ACT 2, infliximab improved quality of life, confirmed by statistically significant improvement in both a disease specific measure, IBDQ, and by improvement in the generic 36-item short form survey SF-36.
Adult ankylosing spondylitis
Efficacy and safety of infliximab were assessed in two multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index [BASDAI] score 4 and spinal pain 4 on a scale of 1-10).
In the first study (P01522), which had a 3 month double-blind phase, 70 patients received either 5 mg/kg infliximab or placebo at weeks 0, 2, 6 (35 patients in each group). At week 12, placebo patients were switched to infliximab 5 mg/kg every 6 weeks up to week 54. After the first yer of the study, 53 patients continued into an open-label extension to week 102.
In the second clinical study (ASSERT), 279 patients were randomized to receive either placebo (Group 1, n=78) or 5 mg/kg infliximab (Group 2, n=201) at 0, 2 and 6 weeks and every 6 weeks to week 24. Thereafter, all subjects continued on infliximab every 6 weeks to week 96. Group 1 received 5 mg/kg infliximab. In group 2, starting with the week-36 infusion, patients who had a BASDAI 3 at 2 consecutive visits, received 7.5 mg/kg infliximab every 6 weeks thereafter through week 96.
In ASSERT, improvement in signs and symptoms was observed as early as week 2. At week 24, the number of ASAS 20 responders was 15/78 (19%) in the placebo group, and 123/201 (61%) in the 5 mg/kg infliximab group (p<0.001). There were 95 subjects from group 2 who continued on 5 mg/kg every 6 weeks. At 102 weeks there were 80 subjects still on infliximab treatment and among those, 71 (89%) were ASAS 20 responders.
In P01522, improvement in signs and symptoms was also observed as early as week 2. At week 12, the number of BASDAI 50 responders were 3/35 (9%) in the placebo group, and 20/35 (57%) in the 5 mg/kg group (p<0.01). There were 53 subjects who continued on 5 mg/kg every 6 weeks. At 102 weeks there were 49 subjects still on infliximab treatment and among those, 30 (61%) were BASDAI 50 responders.
In both studies, physical function and quality of life as measured by the BASFI and the physical component score of the SF-36 were also improved significantly.
Adult psoriatic arthritis
Efficacy and safety were assessed in two multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in patients with active psoriatic arthritis.
In the first clinical study (IMPACT), efficacy and safety of infliximab were studied in 104 patients with active polyartic |
