Study of Apremilast to Treat Subjects With Active Ankylosing Spondylitis (POSTURE)
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The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01583374 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : April 24, 2012
Results First Posted : March 17, 2015
Last Update Posted : May 12, 2020
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis | Drug: Apremilast tablet 20 mg Drug: Apremilast tablet 30 mg BID Drug: Placebo | Phase 3 |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 490 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | A PHASE 3, MULTICENTER, RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED, PARALLEL-GROUP STUDY TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF APREMILAST (CC-10004) IN THE TREATMENT OF ACTIVE ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS |
Actual Study Start Date : | May 2, 2012 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | February 24, 2014 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | October 25, 2018 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Apremilast 20 mg
Apremilast 20 mg was taken orally twice a day (BID)
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Drug: Apremilast tablet 20 mg
Apremilast 20 mg was taken orally twice a day (BID)
Other Name: Otezla; CC-10004 |
Experimental: Apremilast 30 mg
Apremilast 30 mg was taken orally twice a day
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Drug: Apremilast tablet 30 mg BID
Apremilast 30 mg was taken orally twice a day
Other Name: Otezla; CC-10004 |
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Identically matched placebo tablets were taken orally twice a day
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Drug: Placebo
Identically matched placebo tablets were taken orally twice a day during the placebo controlled phase. |
- Percentage of Participants Who Achieved an Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society 20 (ASAS 20) Response at Week 16 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 16 ]
ASAS 20 was defined as achieving an improvement from baseline of ≥ 20% and ≥ 1 unit in at least 3 of 4 ASAS domains on a scale of 0 to 10 units and no worsening from baseline of ≥ 20% and ≥ 1 unit in the remaining ASAS domain on a scale of 0 to 10 units. The 4 ASAS domains are:
- Patient Global Assessment of Disease (0 - 10 unit Numerical Rating Scale [NRS]); participant marks a box with an X on a 0 - 10 unit NRS; the left-hand box of 0 = not active and the right-hand box = very active
- Total Back Pain (0 to 10 unit NRS); participant marks a box with an X on a 0 - 10 unit NRS; the left-hand box of 0 = "no pain" and the right-hand box = "most severe pain"
- Function (Bath AS Functional Index [BASFI] NRS 0 - 10 unit); participant provides a self-administered survey of 10 questions assessing for degree of mobility and functional ability
- Inflammation domain is determined by the mean of 2 Bath AS Disease Activity Index NRS Questions #5 and #6 for morning stiffness) (0 - 10 unit)
- Change From Baseline in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) at Week 24 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 24 ]The BASFI is a composite score based on a self-administered survey of 10 questions using a 0 to 10 unit numerical rating scale (NRS) that assesses the degree of mobility and functional ability. The survey consists of 8 questions regarding function in AS and the last 2 reflect the ability to manage everyday life. The patient marks a box with an X on a 0 to 10 unit NRS for 10 questions; the left-hand box of 0 = easy; the right-hand box = impossible. The resulting 0 to 100 score is divided by 10 to give a final 0 to 10 BASFI score. The overall score is the mean of the 10 items and ranges from 0 to 10. A higher score correlates to reduced functional ability.
- Change From Baseline in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) at Week 24 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 24 ]The BASDAI is a composite score based on a participant self-administered survey of six questions measured using a 0 to 10 unit numerical rating scale (NRS) that assessed the participants' five major symptoms of AS: 1) fatigue; 2) spinal pain; 3) peripheral joint pain/swelling; 4) areas of localized tenderness; 5a) morning stiffness severity upon wakening; 5b) morning stiffness duration upon wakening. The participant was asked to mark the box with an X on a 0 to 10 unit NRS for each of the 6 questions. To give each of the five symptoms equal weighting, the mean of the two scores relating to morning stiffness was taken. The resulting 0 to 50 score was divided by 5 to give a final 0 to 10 BASDAI score. A BASDAI score of 4 or greater was considered to be indicative of active AS disease.
- Percentage of Participants Who Achieved an Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society 20 (ASAS) Response at Week 24 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 24 ]
ASAS 20 was defined as achieving an improvement from baseline of ≥ 20% and ≥ 1 unit in at least 3 of 4 ASAS domains on a scale of 0 to 10 units and no worsening from baseline of ≥ 20% and ≥ 1 unit in the remaining ASAS domain on a scale of 0 to 10 units. The 4 ASAS domains are:
- Patient Global Assessment of Disease (0 - 10 unit Numerical Rating Scale [NRS]); participant marks a box with an X on a 0 - 10 unit NRS; the left-hand box of 0 = not active and the right-hand box = very active
- Total Back Pain (0 to 10 unit NRS); participant marks a box with an X on a 0 - 10 unit NRS; the left-hand box of 0 = "no pain" and the right-hand box = "most severe pain"
- Function (Bath AS Functional Index [BASFI] NRS 0 - 10 unit); participant provides a self-administered survey of 10 questions assessing for degree of mobility and functional ability
- Inflammation domain is determined by the mean of 2 Bath AS Disease Activity Index NRS Questions #5 and #6 for morning stiffness) (0 - 10 unit)
- Change From Baseline in the Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (ASQoL) Summary Score at Week 24 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 24 ]The ASQoL is a validated disease specific patient reported outcomes instrument to assess the impact of ankylosing spondylitis on the quality of life of individuals with emphasis on the ability of the person to fulfill his or her needs. It consisted of 18 items requesting a yes (score=1) or no (score=0) response to questions related to the impact of pain on sleep, mood, motivation, ability to cope, activities of daily living, independence, relationships, and social life. The summary score ranges 0-18 with higher scores indicating worse quality of life.
- Change From Baseline in the Physical Component Summary Score (PCS) of Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36-Item Health Survey, Version 2 (SF-36) at Week 24 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 24 ]The Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36-Item Health Survey, Version 2 (SF-36) was a self-administered instrument that measures the impact of disease on overall quality of life and consists of 36 questions in eight domains (physical function, pain, general and mental health, vitality, social function, physical and emotional health). Norm-based scores (based on US general population with mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10) were used in analyses. Higher scores indicate a higher level of functioning. The PCS encompasses physical functioning, role-physical, and bodily pain, as well as general health and vitality. A positive change from baseline score indicates an improvement
- Change From Baseline in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index-Linear (BASMI-Linear) at Week 24 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 24 ]The BASMI-Linear was designed to assess axial status (ie, cervical, dorsal and lumbar spine, hips, and pelvic soft tissue) and to define clinically significant changes in spinal movement. Five dimensions of movement (lateral lumbar flexion, tragus to wall, forward lumbar flexion, maximal intermalleolar distance, and cervical rotation) were measured and normalized on 0 to 10 unit NRS. The average of these scores was the total BASMI score, ranging from 0-10 with higher values indicating more severe limitation in spinal mobility.
- Change From Baseline in the Radiographic Score Using the Modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score (m-SASSS) at Week 104 and Week 260 [ Time Frame: Baseline to Week 104 and 260 ]
The Modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score is a scoring method used to determine the amount or degree of ankylosing spondylitis disease that is in the spine based on x-ray radiographs of the spine. The m-SASSS scores 0-3.
0 = No abnormality, 1 = Erosion, Sclerosis or Squaring, 2 = Syndesmophyte, 3 = Total bony Bridging at each Site. An increase in the m-SASSS indicated a worsening of AS disease.
- Number of Participants With Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) During the Placebo Controlled Phase [ Time Frame: From Week 0 to Week 24; the median duration of exposure was 23.57 weeks for the placebo arm, 23.71 weeks for the apremilast 20 mg arm and 24.00 weeks for the apremilast 30 mg arm. ]A TEAE was an adverse event (AE) with a start date on or after the date of the first dose of IP and no later than 28 days after the last dose of IP for participants who discontinued early. A serious AE = results in death, is life-threatening, requires inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization, results in persistent or significant disability/incapacity, is a congenital anomaly/birth defect; or constitutes an important medical event. The severity of AEs was assessed based on the following scale: Mild = asymptomatic or mild symptoms, clinical or diagnostic observations only; Moderate = symptoms cause moderate discomfort; Severe = symptoms causing severe pain discomfort.
- Number of Participants With Treatment Emergent Adverse Events During the Apremilast Exposure Period [ Time Frame: Week 0 to week 260; overall mean duration of exposure to apremilast 20 mg and 30 mg BID was 160.96 weeks ]A TEAE was an adverse event (AE) with a start date on or after the date of the first dose of IP and no later than 28 days after the last dose of IP for participants who discontinued early. A serious AE = results in death, is life-threatening, requires inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization, results in persistent or significant disability/incapacity, is a congenital anomaly/birth defect; or constitutes an important medical event. The severity of AEs was assessed based on the following scale: Mild = asymptomatic or mild symptoms, clinical or diagnostic observations only; Moderate = symptoms cause moderate discomfort; Severe = symptoms causing severe pain discomfort.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Must have a documented diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis as defined by low back pain and stiffness, which improves with exercise, but is not relieved by rest for more than 3 months prior to screening. At the completion of screening procedures, a documented diagnosis of definite active AS, as defined by the modified New York criteria (1984) whereby both criteria, at least 1 radiographic criterion and at least 1 clinical criterion, must be met
- Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) is ≥ 4
- Total back pain is ≥ 4
- On stable dose of AS medication (or lack of medication) prior to randomization and through week 24
Exclusion Criteria:
- Prior treatment with a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) blocker and any biologic treatment for AS

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): NCT01583374

Study Director: | MD | Amgen |
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | Amgen |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01583374 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
CC-10004-AS-001 2011-001555-37 ( EudraCT Number ) |
First Posted: | April 24, 2012 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | March 17, 2015 |
Last Update Posted: | May 12, 2020 |
Last Verified: | October 2019 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | Yes |
Plan Description: | De-identified individual patient data for variables necessary to address the specific research question in an approved data sharing request |
Supporting Materials: |
Study Protocol Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP) Informed Consent Form (ICF) Clinical Study Report (CSR) |
Time Frame: | Data sharing requests relating to this study will be considered beginning 18 months after the study has ended and either 1) the product and indication have been granted marketing authorization in both the US and Europe or 2) clinical development for the product and/or indication discontinues and the data will not be submitted to regulatory authorities. There is no end date for eligibility to submit a data sharing request for this study. |
Access Criteria: | Qualified researchers may submit a request containing the research objectives, the Amgen product(s) and Amgen study/studies in scope, endpoints/outcomes of interest, statistical analysis plan, data requirements, publication plan, and qualifications of the researcher(s). In general, Amgen does not grant external requests for individual patient data for the purpose of re-evaluating safety and efficacy issues already addressed in the product labelling. Requests are reviewed by a committee of internal advisors. If not approved, a Data Sharing Independent Review Panel will arbitrate and make the final decision. Upon approval, information necessary to address the research question will be provided under the terms of a data sharing agreement. This may include anonymized individual patient data and/or available supporting documents, containing fragments of analysis code where provided in analysis specifications. Further details are available at the URL below. |
URL: | http://www.amgen.com/datasharing |
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Spondylitis Spondylitis, Ankylosing Spondylarthritis Bone Diseases, Infectious Infections Bone Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Spinal Diseases Spondylarthropathies Ankylosis Joint Diseases Arthritis Thalidomide Apremilast Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal |
Analgesics, Non-Narcotic Analgesics Sensory System Agents Peripheral Nervous System Agents Physiological Effects of Drugs Anti-Inflammatory Agents Antirheumatic Agents Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitors Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors Enzyme Inhibitors Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action Immunosuppressive Agents Immunologic Factors Leprostatic Agents Anti-Bacterial Agents |