Cellular and proteomic changes following administration of peresolimab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a post-hoc analysis of a randomised phase 2a trial
Authors' conclusion
PD-1 agonism with peresolimab resulted in reduction of peripheral PD-1 high-expressing CD4 T cells and neutrophils, as well as normalisation of numerous molecular pathways associated with inflammation in patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with adult-onset RA and moderate-to-severe disease activity, 26 centres in Europe, Mexico and the USA; non-RA controls as baseline comparison172 screened
- Participants
- 98 adults
- Comparison
- Peresolimab 700 mg or 300 mg IV every 4 weeks vs placebo
- Peresolimab 700 mgn = 49
- Peresolimab 300 mgn = 25
- Placebon = 24reference
- Primary endpoint
- Pharmacokinetics, PD-1 coverage and cellular and molecular biomarker changes from baseline (post-hoc, exploratory)
- Follow-up
- Week 14 (week 36 for pharmacokinetics)
Methodological detailsdouble-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre (26 centres), exploratory biomarker analysis
- Double-blind
- Placebo-controlled
- Multicentre (26 centres)
- Exploratory biomarker analysis
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Receptor occupancy on circulating CD4 effector memory T cells, both doses, over treatment period
greater than 90%
Change in PD-1 high-expressing CD4 T cell count with peresolimab, baseline to 12 weeks
−52.2% and −57.1%
Neutrophil count decrease with peresolimab, corroborated by RNA sequencing
more than 10%
Original publication
Cellular and proteomic changes following administration of peresolimab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a post-hoc analysis of a randomised phase 2a trial. Lancet Rheumatol. Published 29 September 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →