Comparative effectiveness of subcutaneous sarilumab 200 mg biweekly, subcutaneous Tocilizumab 162 mg biweekly, and intravenous Tocilizumab 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a prospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
SAR-SC 200 mg biweekly initiation was associated with a statistically significantly greater decrease in disease activity than TCZ-SC 162 mg biweekly in IL-6Ri-naïve patients with RA. In contrast, no statistically significant differences were identified between TCZ-IV 8 mg/kg every 4 week and TCZ-SC 162 mg biweekly.
Study context
- Population
- IL-6Ri-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) initiating SAR-SC, TCZ-SC or TCZ-IV at the approved starting dose; ANSWER multicentre prospective cohort, Japan, 2009–2023
- Participants
- 1,001 patients
- Exposure
- SAR-SC 200 mg biweekly vs TCZ-SC 162 mg biweekly vs TCZ-IV 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks
- SAR-SCn = 201
- TCZ-SCn = 546reference
- TCZ-IVn = 254
- Outcome
- Change in CDAI
- Follow-up
- 24 weeks
Methodological detailstarget trial emulation, incident new-user, active-comparator design, multicentre
- Target trial emulation
- Incident new-user, active-comparator design
- Multicentre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Difference (95% CI)P value
SAR-SCvs TCZ-SCimprovement significantly greater with SAR-SC
−2.53(−4.38 to −0.69)
P = 0.007Between TCZ-IV and TCZ-SC
1.00(−0.68 to 2.69)
P = 0.243Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Change in clinical disease activity index (CDAI) at weeks 4, 12 and 48
- Similar results to the primary outcome
Retention rate · 48 weeks
- SAR-SC and TCZ-IV did not significantly differ from TCZ-SC
Original publication
Comparative effectiveness of subcutaneous sarilumab 200 mg biweekly, subcutaneous Tocilizumab 162 mg biweekly, and intravenous Tocilizumab 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a prospective cohort study. Arthritis Res Ther. Published 7 March 2025. doi:10.
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