Subcutaneous tocilizumab alone or with a csDMARD in rheumatoid arthritis patients: subanalysis of Italian data from a multicenter phase IIIb/IV trial

To assess, in a setting close to real life, the efficacy and safety of weekly subcutaneous tocilizumab (TCZ-SC) 162 mg, alone or with a conventional synthetic DMARD (csDMARD), in moderate-to-severe RA patients with inadequate response to DMARDs or anti-TNFα drugs. This national, multicenter, open-label, phase IIIb trial is part of an umbrella study (TOZURA). Patients were treated for 52 weeks followed by 8 weeks drug-free to evaluate immunogenicity. The primary end point was the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) change from baseline at weeks 2 and 24. Other efficacy parameters, including sleep quality, and the safety and immunogenicity were also assessed up to week 52. Of 288 patients enrolled in 43 Italian centers, 78.8% received TCZ-SC (86.8% females; mean age 54.7 ± 12.1 years; mean disease duration 7.8 ± 7.5 years; DMARD-IRs 94.7%). Of these, 78.0% completed the 52-week period and 52.0% received concomitant methotrexate. TCZ-SC yielded a significant reduction in median CDAI from baseline already at week 2, which progressed up to week 24 and remained stable thereafter ( P < 0.0001 at each time point). A significant, rapid, and sustained improvement of the other efficacy variables was also observed. Patients were deemed as ready for home administration after a median of 2.0 (range 1–8) administrations, with a rate (since the last visit) of 80.6% and 95.5% at weeks 2 and 52, respectively. TCZ-SC displayed low immunogenicity and no unexpected toxicities. TCZ-SC, alone or with a csDMARD, yielded rapid and sustained efficacy in DMARD/anti-TNFα-IR RA patients, with acceptable toxicity. Home administration seems feasible.