Healio speaks to Robert F. Spiera, MD, rheumatologist at HSS on his study published in The New England Journal of Medicine demonstrating the efficacy of sarilumab in adult patients with refractory polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR).

“Patients with polymyalgia rheumatica who have a relapse while tapering glucocorticoid therapy or have glucocorticoid-related adverse effects have limited treatment options,” explained Dr. Spiera. Thurs, treatments that hasten disease remission, decrease symptoms, reduce overall dependance on glucocorticoid and the associated toxic effects, and improve quality of life and function are needed,” he said.

To analyze the effectiveness of sarilumab in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica Dr. Spiera and colleagues conducted SAPHYR, a phase 3, multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The researchers included patients with polymyalgia rheumatica who flared glucocorticoid tapering in the 12 weeks leading up to enrollment.

Upon enrollment, patients were randomized 1:1 to receive 52 weeks of a twice-monthly injection of sarilumab 200 mg, plus 14 weeks of prednisone tapering, or placebo and 52 weeks of prednisone tapering. To manage adverse events and complications, patients receiving sarilumab could receive reduced doses every other injection.

The primary outcome at 52 weeks was sustained remission, defined as the achievement of clinical remission by week 12, with a lack of flares and sustained improvements in CRP and prednisone tapering adherence through 52 weeks. Key secondary endpoints included cumulative glucocorticoid dose through 52 weeks and the time until onset of first disease flare.

Read the full article at healio.com.