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Rheumatoid ArthritisAugust 2022

What the CREDO2 Trial Found — Olokizumab for Rheumatoid Arthritis

CREDO2 tested olokizumab, an interleukin-6 blocker, against both an inactive comparison and adalimumab (Humira) in 1,648 adults with rheumatoid arthritis still active on methotrexate. At 12 weeks, olokizumab matched adalimumab for joint improvement.

What the trial was testing

The CREDO2 enrolled 1,648 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The study was sponsored by R-Pharm International and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.

It was a large trial designed to confirm whether the treatment works well enough for wider use. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.

What the results showed

70% of olokizumab patients hit the joint improvement goal vs. 67% on adalimumab.

New England Journal of Medicine · 2022 · NCT02760407

These findings — that joint improvement (ACR20) at 12 weeks on olokizumab compared with adalimumab — were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and represent the headline result of the study.

Researchers tracked outcomes across 1,648 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.

What this means for patients

For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.

What you can do now

Olokizumab is approved in Russia and a few other countries but is NOT FDA-approved in the U.S. and not available here. Several IL-6 blockers (tocilizumab, sarilumab) and TNF blockers (adalimumab, etanercept) are FDA-approved for RA. Ask a rheumatologist which approved option fits your case.

Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.