The purpose of this study is to evaluate clinical effectiveness and safety of golimumab with methotrexate (MTX) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when compared to MTX alone.
This is a randomized (study medication is assigned by chance), double-blind (neither physician nor participants knows the treatment that the participant receives), placebo-controlled (an inactive substance is compared with a medication to test whether the medication has a real effect in a clinical study), multicenter, 2-arm (2 groups) study of golimumab in participants with active RA despite concurrent MTX therapy. Approximately 564 participants will be randomly allocated to 1 of 2 treatment groups in a 2:1 ratio ie, Group 1(approximately 376 participants will receive golimumab + MTX) and Group 2 (approximately 188 participants will receive MTX + placebo). Total duration of study for each participant is 112 weeks. Safety will be evaluated by assessment of adverse events, tuberculosis testing and blood testing.
Participants will receive 2 mg/kg of golimumab intravenously over 30 ± 10 minutes. Group 1: at Weeks 0, 4, and every 8 weeks thereafter (up to Week 100). Group II: Weeks 24, 28, and every 8 weeks thereafter (up to Week 100); Early escape: at Week 16, 20 and every 8 weeks thereafter (up to Week 100).
Participants will receive placebo intravenous infusion over 30 ± 10 minutes as: Group I: at Week 16 and 24; Group II: at Weeks 0, 4, 12, 16, and 20; and for early escape: at Week 24.
Participants will be maintained on their stable dose of commercial MTX (between 15 to 25 mg/week) throughout the study.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Córdoba, Argentina
Rosario, Argentina
San Juan, Argentina
San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
Santa Fe, Argentina