A Phase 3 interventional study of Abatacept and Placebos in Polymyalgia Rheumatica, sponsored by University Hospital, Brest. Completed at 5 sites in France. Open to participants aged 50 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-08.
Sponsored by University Hospital, Brest · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
Polymyalgia rheumatic (PMR) is a frequent inflammatory disease. It affects the elderly, with peak incidences at the age of 70 to 80 years; an age >50 years or older, is considered a criterion for the diagnosis. Polymyalgia rheumatica occurs at a frequency that is 3 to 10 times that of giant-cell arteritis. Disease risk varies according to race and geographic region. The incidence is highest among whites in northern European populations (about 20 cases per 100,000 persons older than 50 years of age); it is lower in southern European populations (about 10 cases per 100,000).The diagnosis is based on established ACR/EULAR classification criteria.
Long term low-dose glucocorticoid (GCs) (prednisone or prednisolone started at 15 to 20 mg/day progressively tapered) is the mainstay of the treatment.
The activity of PMR is evaluated using the PMR-AS, a disease activity score based on morning stiffness, ability to elevate the upper limbs, physician's global disease assessment and pain assessment measured by the patient using VAS, and the C-reactive protein (CRP) level. The PMR-AS is considered as relevant to define relapse and remission but also to decide if treatment have to be decreased, unchanged or increased (PMR-AS \< 10: decrease, PMR-AS > 17 increase to previous dosage, 10 ≤ PMR-AS ≤ 17: stable dose)..
Comorbidity in PMR are due to GCs and 30% of the patients underwent a relapse when tapering GCs. If the investigators able to start prednisone at a lower dosage (i.e. 8 mg then tapered for 3 to 4 months), the cumulative dosage of steroid would not have major side effects but it is not possible without new therapeutic agents.
The TENOR study (Tolerance and Efficacy of tocilizumab iN pOlymyalgia Rheumatica), a phase 2 study, demonstrated efficacy of tocilizumab as first line treatment in PMR without GCs and its ability to spare GCs. This was the first study demonstrating that a biologic may improve PMR without steroid, and that also showed that a short treatment by biologic followed by a low dose GCs therapy may be a new concept in the treatment of PMR.
Molecular studies in GCA and PMR suggest that dendritic cells initiate the pathogenic cascade and recruit T cells. Two major immune-response networks have been identified related to type 1 helper T-cell (Th1) and to helper T-cell (Th17). Abatacept is comprised of the ligand-binding domain of CTLA4 plus modified Fc domain derived from IgG1. By containing CTLA4, abatacept blocks the engagement of CD28 with its ligand, thereby inhibiting T cell activation. It has recently demonstrated its efficacy in Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) but also in giant cell arteritis (GCA). Due to its good safety profile in rheumatoid arthritis and its potential to modulate T cell activation and derived cytokines, abatacept is an attractive agent to investigate in patients with PMR.
In this randomized prospective placebo controlled study, the objective is to demonstrate the ability of abatacept to improve alone PMR and then to allow a steroid sparing effect after this induction treatment, in early onset PMR.
68 studies on the registry are indexed under Polymyalgia Rheumatica; 22 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 34 is below the median of 66 across 39 interventional studies indexed under Polymyalgia Rheumatica.
Browse Polymyalgia Rheumatica studies →University Hospital, Brest is the lead sponsor of 601 studies on the registry; 136 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Subcutaneous abatacept every weeks during 3 months (W0 to W11). Then, at W12, if PMR-AS\>10, they will receive GCs according to the PMR-AS (PMR-AS≤10: no GCs, PMR-AS between 10-20: 10mg/day, PMR-AS between 21-30: GCs at 15mg/d and if PMR-AS\> 30: 20mg/d). Dosage of GCs will be decreased between W16 and W24 (1mg every week) in each arm according to PMR-AS (PMR-AS \< 10: decrease, PMR-AS \> 17 increase to previous dosage, 10 ≤ PMR-AS ≤ 17: stable dose). If PMR-AS ≤10, the patients wont receive any treatment until a flare.
Drug: Abatacept
Subcutaneous placebo every week during 3 months (W0 to W11). Then, at week 12, if PMR-AS\>10, they will receive GCs according to the PMR-AS (PMR-AS≤10: no GCs, PMR-AS between 10-20: 10mg/day, PMR-AS between 21-30: GCs at 15mg/d and if PMR-AS\> 30: 20mg/d). Dosage of GCs will be decreased between W16 and W24 (1mg every week) in each arm according to PMR-AS (PMR-AS \< 10: decrease, PMR-AS \> 17 increase to previous dosage, 10 ≤ PMR-AS ≤ 17: stable dose). If PMR-AS ≤10, the patients won't receive any treatment until a flare.
Drug: Placebos
Subcutaneous abatacept every weeks during 3 months
Subcutaneous placebo every week during 3 months
Following of one biological parameter (CRP)
The Polymyalgia Rheumatica Activity score is evaluated with a biological parameter named CRP.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Emergence of adverse events (Safety and tolerability)
The safety is evaluated with the adverse events in both arms
Time frame: 36 weeks
Following of the Polymyalgia Rheumatica Activity score
The Polymyalgia Rheumatica Activity score is evalauted with CRP and without CRP. The activity of Polymyalgia Rheumatica is evaluated using the Polymyalgia Rheumatica Activity score (PMR-AS), a disease activity score based on morning stiffness, ability to elevate the upper limbs, physician's global disease assessment and pain assessment measured by the patient using VAS, and the C-reactive protein (CRP) level. The PMR-AS is considered as relevant to define relapse and remission but also to decide if treatment have to be decreased, unchanged or increased (PMR-AS \< 10: decrease, PMR-AS \> 17 increase to previous dosage, 10 ≤ PMR-AS ≤ 17: stable dose)
Time frame: 36 weeks
Medical resource evaluation
The cost of the utilization of Abatacept is evaluated
Time frame: 36 weeks
Following of the cumulative dosages of Glucocorticoids
The cumulative dosages of GCs is evaluated
Time frame: 24 weeks
The flare of the Polymyalgia Rheumatica
The flare of the Polymyalgia Rheumatica will be evaluate by the activity of Polymyalgia Rheumatica which is evaluated using the Polymyalgia Rheumatica Activity score ( (PMR-AS) which is not a scale but a score based on morning stiffness, ability to elevate the upper limbs, physician's global disease assessment and pain assessment measured by the patient using VAS, and the C-reactive protein (CRP) level. The PMR-AS is considered as relevant to define relapse and remission but also to decide if treatment have to be decreased, unchanged or increased (PMR-AS \< 10: decrease, PMR-AS \> 17 increase to previous dosage, 10 ≤ PMR-AS ≤ 17: stable dose).
Time frame: 36 weeks
Following of the medical exam using the ultrasound Scoring
The ultrasound scoring of synovitis and tenosynovitis is evaluated
Time frame: 12 weeks
Evaluation of FDG uptake using TEP-scanner in RegiOns of Interest
The FDG uptake is evalated with TEP-scanner using the FDG radiotracer
Time frame: 12 weeks
Following the proportion of patients relapse
The proportion of patients relapse or remission is evaluated with the Polymyalgia Rheumatica Activity score\>17
Time frame: 36 weeks
Biological markers
The level of biological markers and cell subpopulations with the result of blood test is evaluated. The list of biological markers is (Interleukin, cytokines, immune cells)
Time frame: 36 weeks
Following of the quality of life
The Short Form 36 (SF36) is used to evaluate the quality of life. The SF36 scale includes 36 items divided into 8 dimensions (physical functioning, role limitations related to physical health, physical pain, general health, vitality \[energy / fatigue\].
Time frame: 36 weeks
Following of the quality of life
The scale EuroQol 5 dimensions (EDQ5) is used to evaluate the quality of life. The EQ-5D scale is a standardised measure of health status to provide a simple, generic measure of health for clinical and economic appraisal, whih is divided by the EQ-5D descriptive system (mobility, self care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression) and the EQ Visual Analogue scale (EQ VAS). Each dimension has 5 levels (no problems, slight problems, moderate problems, severe problems, and extreme problems).
Time frame: 36 weeks
Following of the quality of life
The Hospital Anxiety and the Depression scale (HAD) is used to evaluate the quality of life. The HAD scale has 14 items rated from 0 to 3 with 7 questions relate to anxiety and 7 others to the depressive dimension.
Time frame: 36 weeks
Plan to share: No
Ran from Dec 2018 to primary completion in Oct 2021, 34 months.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is completed, as verified in Jun 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Studies of the drug tested here: Abatacept