A drug initially designed treat rheumatoid arthritis may hold the key not just to treatment, but also to prevention. Arthritis prevention in the preclinical phase of the trial rheumatoid arthritis with abatacept (APIPPRA) aimed to assess the feasibility, efficacy, and acceptability of treating high-risk individuals for rheumatoid arthritis with the T-cell co-stimulation modulator, abatacept. A total of 213 participants ≥18 years, positive for antibodies to citrullinated protein antigens (ACPA) and rheumatoid factor with inflammatory joint pain, were randomly assigned to receive either 125 mg abatacept subcutaneous injections weekly or a placebo for 12 months, followed by a 12-month follow-up.
During the treatment period, 6% of the abatacept group and 29% of the placebo group met the primary endpoint– development of clinical synovitis in three or more joints. At 24 months, 25% of the…
