Clinical Trial to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Acellbia® (JSC "BIOCAD") With Methotrexate in First Line Biological Therapy of Patients With Active Rheumatoid Arthritis

Inclusion criteria

Written informed consent. Age from 18 to 80 years. Rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed at least 6 months before informed consent signing Presence of more than 8 swollen and more than 8 painful joints at screening. C-reactive protein 7 mg/l or more AND/OR erythrocyte sedimentation rate 28 mm/hour or more.

Antibodies to citrullinated cyclic peptide 20 U/ml or more AND/OR rheumatoid factor-IgM higher than upper normal limit.

Documented regular methotrexate intake for 12 weeks, stable dose from 10 to 25 mg/week during last 4 weeks before signing informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

Methotrexate intolerance. Felty's syndrome. Patient functional status - IV class according to ACR. Previous use of biologic drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis, biologic drugs that deplete CD20-lymphocytes, azathioprine use in the last 28 days prior to informed consent signing, leflunomide use in the last 8 weeks prior to informed consent signing, sulphasalazine/hydroxyquinoline use in the last 28 days prior to informed consent signing, intraarticular use of corticosteroids in the last 4 weeks prior to informed consent signing, patient requires prednisolone (or analogues) in a dose more than 10 mg/day or dose is unstable during 4 weeks prior to informed consent signing, requirement in non-steroid antiinflammatory drugs if their dose was not stable during last 8 weeks prior to informed consent signing.

Patient has inflammatory joint disease otherwise than rheumatoid arthritis or systemic autoimmune diseases.

Full list of inclusion and exclusion criteria can be found in Study Protocol.