Th17 Responses Evaluated in RA Patients on Inhibitors of TNFα
Status:
Unknown status
Trial end date:
2017-03-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Preliminary data suggest that up-regulation of Interleukin -17 (IL-17) and the T-helper 17
(Th17) pathway occurs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients on anti-Tumour Necrosis Factor
(TNF) therapy who demonstrated an incomplete clinical response. A deeper understanding of
this is required in order to determine whether IL-17 or the Th17 pathway is a valid target
for intervention in this population to improve response outcome.
The study objective is to observe biologic naïve RA subjects on anti-TNF therapies and take
measurements of peripheral blood and synovial tissue to assess differences in the IL-17 and
Th17 pathways between responders and non-responders. The aim of the study is to test if
increased Th17 pathway activity is present in subjects who do not respond clinically to
anti-TNF therapy.
Clinical assessments, synovial bio-markers and ultrasound will be used as determinants of
clinical response. The study may identify disease characteristics that determine which
subjects may be more likely to respond to anti-TNF therapy, or those who may require either a
different treatment option, or additional pathway inhibition in addition to TNF, in order to
achieve clinical response.