Termination of TCZ in GCA Save

Treatment of giant cell arteritis with tocilizumab is a hot topic at this year’s ACR meeting and, while GiACTA data was promising, a Swiss study reported less-favorable results at the poster session this morning (Abstract #867).

Adler S., et al. from the University of Bern in Switzerland presented their follow-up data of the first RCT examining the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in patients with newly diagnosed GCA. The study was first published in The Lancet online in March 2016. This was a positive study, showing efficacy of TCZ in the induction and maintenance of remission in GCA for up to 52 weeks.

Today this group reported their findings after following these patients after the last dose of TCZ. Median follow up was 19 months (range 13-38). In the TCZ group, 11/20 patients relapsed after their last infusion of TCZ with a median time to relapse of 5 months. In the placebo group, all but one patient relapsed and/or continued steroid treatment, with only 1/10 patients remaining in remission off all treatment at last follow up. In several patients, reintroducing TCZ restored remission.

While TCZ seems effective in inducing remission in GCA, how patients will fare after completion of therapy remains a grey-zone.