A Study Comparing Upadacitinib (ABT-494) to Placebo and to Adalimumab in Adults With Rheumatoid Arthritis Who Are on a Stable Dose of Methotrexate and Who Have an Inadequate Response to Methotrexate (SELECT-COMPARE)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02629159 |
Recruitment Status :
Active, not recruiting
First Posted : December 14, 2015
Results First Posted : October 7, 2019
Last Update Posted : April 24, 2023
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Rheumatoid Arthritis | Drug: Placebo for Adalimumab Drug: Adalimumab Drug: Placebo for Upadacitinib Drug: Upadacitinib | Phase 3 |
This study consists of a 48-week double-blind treatment period (Period 1) and a long-term extension period (Period 2).
Period 1 is a 48-week randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled and active comparator-controlled period designed to compare the safety and efficacy of upadacitinib versus placebo, and versus adalimumab. Participants will be randomized in a 2:2:1 ratio to one of three treatment groups:
- Placebo (up to Week 26)
- Upadacitinib 15 mg once daily (QD)
- Adalimumab 40 mg every other week (eow)
Participants randomized to placebo who do not achieve a ≥ 20% improvement in tender joint count (TJC) and swollen joint count (SJC) at Weeks 14, 18, or 22 compared to Baseline will be switched to blinded upadacitinib treatment. At Week 26, all participants still receiving placebo will be switched to blinded upadacitinib treatment regardless of clinical response.
Participants randomized to adalimumab who do not achieve a ≥ 20% improvement in TJC and SJC at Weeks 14, 18, or 22 compared to Baseline will be switched to blinded upadacitinib. Participants still receiving adalimumab at Week 26 who do not achieve low disease activity (LDA) according to Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI; LDA is defined as CDAI ≤ 10) will be switched to blinded upadacitinib treatment to Week 48.
Participants randomized to upadacitinib who do not achieve a ≥ 20% improvement in TJC and SJC at Weeks 14, 18, or 22 compared to Baseline will be switched to blinded adalimumab; participants still receiving upadacitinib at Week 26 who do not achieve LDA (CDAI ≤ 10) will be switched to blinded adalimumab treatment to Week 48.
Participants who complete the Week 48 visit (end of Period 1) will enter the long-term extension phase of the study (Period 2), for up to 5 years. Participants will continue study treatment as assigned at the end of Period 1. Starting at the Week 48 and thereafter, at least 20% improvement in both TJC and SJC compared to Baseline is required to remain on study drug. Anyone who does not fulfill this criterion at 2 consecutive visits (starting at Week 48) will be discontinued.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 1629 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind Study Comparing Upadacitinib (ABT-494) to Placebo and to Adalimumab in Subjects With Moderately to Severely Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Who Are on a Stable Background of Methotrexate (MTX) and Who Have an Inadequate Response to MTX (MTX-IR) |
Actual Study Start Date : | December 1, 2015 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | October 27, 2017 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | September 30, 2027 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Placebo Comparator: Placebo followed by ABT-494
Participants were to receive placebo to upadacitinib orally once daily (QD) and placebo to adalimumab by subcutaneous injection once every two weeks (eow) for up to 26 weeks. Participants who did not achieve a ≥ 20% improvement in tender joint count (TJC) and swollen joint count (SJC) at Weeks 14, 18, or 22 compared to Baseline were to be switched to 15 mg upadacitinib orally QD. At Week 26, all remaining participants were to be switched to 15 mg upadacitinib QD until Week 48 (end of Period 1). Participants who complete Period 1 will continue to receive 15 mg upadacitinib orally QD for up to 5 years in Period 2. |
Drug: Placebo for Adalimumab
Administered by subcutaneous injection once every other week Drug: Placebo for Upadacitinib Tablets taken orally once a day Drug: Upadacitinib Tablets taken orally once a day
Other Name: ABT-494 |
Active Comparator: Adalimumab
Participants were to receive placebo to upadacitinib orally QD and 40 mg adalimumab by subcutaneous injection eow for up to 48 weeks in Period 1. Participants who did not achieve a ≥ 20% improvement in TJC and SJC at Weeks 14, 18, or 22 compared to Baseline were to be switched to 15 mg upadacitinib orally QD. At Week 26 remaining participants who did not achieve low disease activity (defined as Clinical Disease Activity Index [CDAI] ≤ 10) were to be switched to 15 mg upadacitinib orally QD until Week 48. Participants who complete Period 1 will continue to receive the same treatment assigned at the end of Period 1 (15 mg upadacitinib QD or 40 mg adalimumab eow) for up to 5 years in Period 2. |
Drug: Adalimumab
Administered by subcutaneous injection once every other week
Other Name: Humira Drug: Placebo for Upadacitinib Tablets taken orally once a day Drug: Upadacitinib Tablets taken orally once a day
Other Name: ABT-494 |
Experimental: Upadacitinib
Participants were to receive 15 mg upadacitinib orally QD and placebo to adalimumab by subcutaneous injection eow for up to 48 weeks in Period 1. Participants who did not achieve a ≥ 20% improvement in TJC and SJC at Weeks 14, 18, or 22 compared to Baseline were to be switched to 40 mg adalimumab eow. At Week 26 remaining participants who did not achieve low disease activity (defined as CDAI ≤ 10) were to be switched to 40 mg adalimumab eow until Week 48. Participants who complete Period 1 will continue to receive the same treatment assigned at the end of Period 1 (15 mg upadacitinib QD or 40 mg adalimumab eow) for up to 5 years in Period 2. |
Drug: Placebo for Adalimumab
Administered by subcutaneous injection once every other week Drug: Adalimumab Administered by subcutaneous injection once every other week
Other Name: Humira Drug: Upadacitinib Tablets taken orally once a day
Other Name: ABT-494 |
- Percentage of Participants With an American College of Rheumatology 20% (ACR20) Response at Week 12 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12 ]
The primary endpoint for United States (US)/Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory purposes was ACR 20% response (ACR20) at Week 12. Participants who met the following 3 conditions for improvement from baseline were classified as meeting the ACR20 response criteria:
- ≥ 20% improvement in 68-tender joint count;
- ≥ 20% improvement in 66-swollen joint count; and
-
≥ 20% improvement in at least 3 of the 5 following parameters:
- Physician global assessment of disease activity
- Patient global assessment of disease activity
- Patient assessment of pain
- Health Assessment Questionnaire - Disability Index (HAQ-DI)
- High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP).
- Percentage of Participants Achieving Clinical Remission (CR) Based on DAS28(CRP) at Week 12 [ Time Frame: Week 12 ]
The primary endpoint for European Union (EU)/European Medicines Agency (EMA) regulatory purposes was clinical remission, based on a Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28)-CRP score of < 2.6 at Week 12.
The DAS28 is a composite index used to assess rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, calculated based on the tender joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), swollen joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (0-100 mm), and hsCRP (in mg/L). Scores on the DAS28 range from 0 to approximately 10, where higher scores indicate more disease activity.
A DAS28 score less than 2.6 indicates clinical remission.
- Change From Baseline in DAS28 (CRP) at Week 12 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12 ]The DAS28 is a composite index used to assess rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, calculated based on the tender joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), swollen joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (0-100 mm), and hsCRP (in mg/L). Scores on the DAS28 range from 0 to approximately 10, where higher scores indicate more disease activity. A negative change from Baseline in DAS28 (CRP) indicates improvement in disease activity.
- Change From Baseline in Modified Total Sharp Score (mTSS) at Week 26 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 26 ]
The mTSS measures the level of joint damage from radiographs of the hands and feet, assessed by 2 independent, blinded readers. mTSS is calculated as the sum of the total joint erosion score and total joint space narrowing (JSN) score.
Joint erosion severity was assessed in 16 joints in each hand and wrist and 6 joints in each foot. Each joint was scored from 0 (no erosion) to 5 for hands/wrists or to 10 for feet (complete collapse). The total erosion score ranges from 0 to 280 (worst).
JSN was assessed in 15 joints of each hand and wrist, and 6 joints of each foot, including subluxation, from 0 (normal) to 4 (complete loss of joint space, bony ankylosis, or luxation). The total JSN score ranges from 0 to 168 (worst).
The mTSS is the sum of the joint erosion and JSN scores and ranges from 0 (normal) to 448 (worst). A negative change from Baseline in mTSS indicates improvement in joint damage whereas a change from Baseline greater than 0 indicates progression.
- Change From Baseline in Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) at Week 12 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12 ]
The Health Assessment Questionnaire - Disability Index is a patient-reported questionnaire that measures the degree of difficulty a person has in accomplishing tasks in 8 functional areas (dressing, arising, eating, walking, hygiene, reaching, gripping, and errands and chores) over the past week. Participants assessed their ability to do each task on a scale from 0 (without any difficulty) to 3 (unable to do). Scores were averaged to provide an overall score ranging from 0 to 3, where 0 represents no disability and 3 represents very severe, high-dependency disability.
A negative change from Baseline in the overall score indicates improvement.
- Percentage of Participants With an American College of Rheumatology 50% (ACR50) Response at Week 12 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12 ]
Participants who met the following 3 conditions for improvement from baseline were classified as meeting the ACR50 response criteria:
- ≥ 50% improvement in 68-tender joint count;
- ≥ 50% improvement in 66-swollen joint count; and
-
≥ 50% improvement in at least 3 of the 5 following parameters:
- Physician global assessment of disease activity
- Patient global assessment of disease activity
- Patient assessment of pain
- Health Assessment Questionnaire - Disability Index (HAQ-DI)
- High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP).
- Change From Baseline in Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Physical Component Score (PCS) at Week 12 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12 ]
The Short Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36) Version 2 is a self-administered questionnaire that measures the impact of disease on overall quality of life during the past 4 weeks. The SF-36 consists of 36 questions in eight domains (physical function, pain, general and mental health, vitality, social function, physical and emotional health).
The physical component score is a weighted combination of the 8 subscales with positive weighting for physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, and general health. The PCS was calculated using norm-based scoring so that 50 is the average score and the standard deviation equals 10. Higher scores are associated with better functioning/quality of life; a positive change from baseline score indicates an improvement.
- Percentage of Participants Achieving Low Disease Activity (LDA) Based on DAS28(CRP) at Week 12 [ Time Frame: Week 12 ]
The DAS28(CRP) is a composite index used to assess rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, calculated based on the tender joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), swollen joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), Patient's Global Assessment of Disease Activity (0-100 mm), and hsCRP (in mg/L). Scores on the DAS28 range from 0 to approximately 10, where higher scores indicate more disease activity.
A DAS28(CRP) score less than or equal to 3.2 indicates low disease activity.
- Percentage of Participants Achieving Low Disease Activity Based on CDAI at Week 12 [ Time Frame: Week 12 ]
Low disease activity based on the clinical disease activity index (CDAI) is defined as a CDAI score ≤ 10.
CDAI is a composite index for assessing disease activity based on the summation of the total tender joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), swollen joint count (out of 28 evaluated joints), patient global assessment of disease activity measured on a VAS from 0 to 10 cm, and physician global assessment of disease activity measured on a VAS from 0 to 10 cm. The total CDAI score ranges from 0 to 78 with higher scores indicating higher disease activity.
- Change From Baseline in Duration of Morning Stiffness at Week 12 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12 ]Participants were asked to indicate the time it took for them to get as limber as possible after awakening with morning stiffness over the past 7 days. A negative change from Baseline indicates improvement.
- Change From Baseline in in Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue (FACIT-F) [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12 ]The FACIT Fatigue scale is a 13-item tool that measures an individual's level of fatigue during their usual daily activities over the past 7 days. Each of the fatigue and impact of fatigue items are measured on a four point Likert scale. The FACIT Fatigue Scale is the sum of the individual 13 scores and ranges from 0 to 52 where higher scores indicate better the quality of life. A positive change from Baseline indicates improvement.
- Change From Baseline in Patient's Assessment of Pain at Week 12 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12 ]Participants were asked to indicate the severity of their arthritis pain within the previous week on a visual analog scale (VAS) from 0 to 100. A score of 0 indicates "no pain" and a score of 100 indicates "worst possible pain." A negative change from Baseline indicates improvement.
- Percentage of Participants With No Radiographic Progression at Week 26 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 26 ]
No radiographic progression is defined as a change from Baseline in mTSS ≤ 0. The mTSS measures the level of joint damage from radiographs of the hands and feet, which were assessed by 2 independent, blinded readers. mTSS is calculated as the sum of the total joint erosion score and total joint space narrowing (JSN) score and ranges from 0 (normal) to 448 (worst).
Joint erosion severity was assessed in 16 joints in each hand and wrist and 6 joints in each foot. Each joint was scored from 0 (no erosion) to 5 for hands/wrists or to 10 for feet (complete collapse). The total erosion score ranges from 0 to 280 (worst).
Joint space narrowing (JSN) was assessed in 15 joints of each hand and wrist, and 6 joints of each foot, including subluxation, from 0 (normal) to 4 (complete loss of joint space, bony ankylosis, or luxation). The total JSN score ranges from 0 to 168 (worst).
- Percentage of Participants With an American College of Rheumatology 70% (ACR70) Response at Week 12 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12 ]
Participants who met the following 3 conditions for improvement from baseline were classified as meeting the ACR70 response criteria:
- ≥ 70% improvement in 68-tender joint count;
- ≥ 70% improvement in 66-swollen joint count; and
-
≥ 70% improvement in at least 3 of the 5 following parameters:
- Physician global assessment of disease activity
- Patient global assessment of disease activity
- Patient assessment of pain
- Health Assessment Questionnaire - Disability Index (HAQ-DI)
- High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP).

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adult male or female, at least 18 years old.
- Diagnosis of RA for greater than or equal to 3 months.
- Subjects must have been on oral or parenteral methotrexate (MTX) therapy greater than or equal to 3 months and on a stable prescription of greater than or equal to 15 to 25 mg/week (or greater than or equal to 10 mg/week in subjects intolerant of MTX at doses greater than or equal to 12.5 mg/week) for at least 4 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug. In addition all subjects should take a dietary supplement of folic acid or folinic acid throughout the study participation.
- Meets the following minimum disease activity criteria: greater than or equal to 6 swollen joints (based on 66 joint counts) and greater than or equal to 6 tender joints (based on 68 joint counts) at Screening and Baseline Visits.
- At least one of the following at Screening: greater than or equal to 3 bone erosions on x-ray OR greater than or equal to 1 bone erosion and a positive rheumatoid factor OR greater than or equal to 1 bone erosion and a positive anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide autoantibodies.
- Subjects with prior exposure to only one biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARD) (except adalimumab) may be enrolled (up to 20% of total study population) if they have documented evidence of intolerance to the bDMARD or limited exposure (less than 3 months), but required washout periods need to be satisfied.
- Except for MTX, subject must have discontinued all conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARDs).
Exclusion Criteria:
- Prior exposure to any Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor (including but not limited to tofacitinib, baricitinib, and filgotinib).
- Subjects who have been exposed to adalimumab or who are considered inadequate responders to bDMARD therapy as determined by the Investigator.
- History of inflammatory joint disease other than RA. History of secondary Sjogren's Syndrome is permitted.

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT02629159

Study Director: | AbbVie Inc. | AbbVie |
Documents provided by AbbVie:
Publications:
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | AbbVie |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT02629159 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
M14-465 2022-501017-31-00 ( Other Identifier: EU CT ) |
First Posted: | December 14, 2015 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | October 7, 2019 |
Last Update Posted: | April 24, 2023 |
Last Verified: | April 2023 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | Yes |
Plan Description: | AbbVie is committed to responsible data sharing regarding the clinical trials we sponsor. This includes access to anonymized, individual and trial-level data (analysis data sets), as well as other information (e.g., protocols, analyses plans, clinical study reports), as long as the trials are not part of an ongoing or planned regulatory submission. This includes requests for clinical trial data for unlicensed products and indications. |
Supporting Materials: |
Study Protocol Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP) Clinical Study Report (CSR) Analytic Code |
Time Frame: | For details on when studies are available for sharing visit https://vivli.org/ourmember/abbvie/ |
Access Criteria: | Access to this clinical trial data can be requested by any qualified researchers who engage in rigorous independent scientific research, and will be provided following review and approval of a research proposal and statistical analysis plan and execution of a data sharing statement. Data requests can be submitted at any time after approval in the US and/or EU and a primary manuscript is accepted for publication. For more information on the process, or to submit a request, visit the following link https://www.abbvieclinicaltrials.com/hcp/data-sharing/ |
URL: | https://vivli.org/ourmember/abbvie/ |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | Yes |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
Product Manufactured in and Exported from the U.S.: | No |
Musculoskeletal disease Arthritis Joint disease Anti-inflammatory agents Antirheumatic agents |
Arthritis Arthritis, Rheumatoid Joint Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Rheumatic Diseases Connective Tissue Diseases Autoimmune Diseases Immune System Diseases Adalimumab |
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