Abbvie (NYSE:ABBV) has announced positive top-line results from a Phase 3 study of ABT-494, its treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
ABT-494, also known as upadacitinib, is an orally-taken treatment being tested on patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have not adequately responded to treatments with conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs.
Results from the Phase 3 study showed that after 12 weeks of treatment, both doses of upadacitinib (15 mg and 30 mg) met the study's primary endpoints of low disease activity and a score of 20 on the ACR RA symptoms measurement scale.
Key secondary endpoints were also achieved and included ACR50 and ACR70 scores, and clinical remission.
AbbVie said full results will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting and published in a peer-reviewed publication.
“We are especially encouraged by the results on the more stringent measures of efficacy, such as ACR70, low disease activity and clinical remission,” said Michael Severino, MD, the chief scientific officer at AbbVie.
"Achieving the target of low disease activity in nearly half of the patients by 12 weeks and doing so at both high and low dose levels is encouraging," said Professor Gerd Burmester, professor of medicine at the Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité Berlin.
"Current treatment recommendations recognize the importance of this clinical target for patients, as achieving low disease activity has remained an unmet need in rheumatoid arthritis," he added.
Shares in Abbvie were a tad firmer at US$68.35 in pre-market trading, compared to last night’s close of US$67.87.