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Abivax reports promising rheumatoid arthritis results

Treatment demonstrated a good safety profile in the overall patient population during the 12-week induction phase

Clinical-stage biotechnology company, Abivax, has reported promising results from its phase 2a maintenance trial into rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after one year of continued daily treatment with 50mg ABX464.

After the 12-week, randomised, placebo-controlled induction study in 60 RA patients, 67% of the patients enrolled in the open-label extension maintenance study received the treatment orally once a day for an additional 52 weeks. 58% of the patients suffering from moderate to severely active RA completed 52 weeks of chronic treatment with ABX464.

In June 2021, Abivax communicated the results of the induction phase of its clinical study, administered in combination with methotrexate (MTX), for the treatment of active moderate to severe RA. The treatment demonstrated a good safety and tolerability profile in the overall patient population during the 12-week induction phase.

Professor Paul Emery, versus arthritis Professor of rheumatology, said: “The high levels of maintained response rates within this phase 2a maintenance trial with ABX464 in rheumatoid arthritis patients, especially when it comes to ACR50 and ACR70 responses, look very promising.

“The molecule also demonstrated a good safety profile, and no serious infections were observed. Along with its very different mode of action and clinical profile, ABX464 has the potential to play an important role in the future management of rheumatoid arthritis patients.”

Professor William Robinson, chief of the division of immunology and rheumatology, Stanford University, US, added: “Patients suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases, such as RA, often struggle to find a suitable treatment that remains efficacious over time. The maintenance data is very encouraging and demonstrates a potential long-term efficacy and tolerability of ABX464 for the treatment of RA, even in patients who previously did not respond or stopped responding to available therapies.”