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Active, not recruitingNCT05622708Updated Aug 21, 2026

A Study of Secukinumab to Evaluate Maintenance of Response in Participants With Non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis Who Achieved Remission

A Phase 4 interventional study of Secukinumab and Placebo in Non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis, sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Active, not recruiting at 62 sites in 18 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 100 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-21.

Sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
240
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 100 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study will establish whether prolonged chronic dosing with secukinumab is needed in participants with Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, (nr-axSpA) who have achieved remission. Remission is defined as Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score - C-reactive protein (ASDAS-CRP) Inactive Disease (ID) response (ASDAS-CRP \< 1.3). Maintenance of remission on continued secukinumab treatment will be evaluated compared to placebo using a randomized withdrawal design. The primary outcome measure for this study is the proportion of participants remaining flare-free at Week 120.

Read the detailed description

This study will establish whether prolonged chronic dosing with secukinumab is needed in participants with nr-axSpA who have achieved remission. Remission is defined as Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score - C-reactive protein (ASDAS-CRP) Inactive Disease (ID) response Inactive Disease (ID) response (ASDAS-CRP \< 1.3). The maintenance of remission on continued secukinumab treatment will be evaluated compared to placebo using a randomized withdrawal design. The primary outcome measure for this study is the proportion of participants remaining flare-free at Week 120.

Study treatment will be as follows:

  • Open-label Secukinumab PFS (prefilled syringe) will be labeled as AIN457 150mg/1mL
  • Double-blind Secukinumab and Placebo PFS will be labeled as AIN457 150mg/1mL/Placebo.

Study duration will be up to 128 weeks from Baseline.

The treatment duration will be up to 120 weeks with last treatment administration at Week 116.

In the Treatment Period 1 participant will attend a site visit approximately 1 month after Baseline and approximately every 12 weeks thereafter. In the Treatment Period 2 participant will attend site visits approximately every 4 weeks.

02

Conditions studied

  • Non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis

Keywords

  • nr-AxSpa
  • non-radiographic axial Spondyloarthritis
  • Secukinumab
  • remission
  • withdrawal
  • inflammatory back pain
  • sacroiliitis
  • AIN457
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 100 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Male or non-pregnant, non-lactating female participants at least 18 years of age
  • Clinical diagnosis of axSpA AND according to ASAS axSpA criteria:

    1. Inflammatory back pain for at least 6 months
    2. Onset before 45 years of age
    3. Sacroiliitis on MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) (as assessed by central reader) with ≥ 1 SpA feature OR HLA-B-27 positive with ≥2 SpA features
  • Objective signs of inflammation at screening, evident by either MRI with Sacroiliac Joint inflammation (as assessed by central reader) AND / OR hsCRP > ULN (as defined by the central lab)
  • Active axSpA as assessed by total BASDAI ≥ 4 cm (0-10 cm) at baseline.
  • Spinal pain as measured by BASDAI question #2 ≥ 4 cm (0-10 cm) at baseline.
  • Total back pain as measured by VAS (visual analog scale) ≥ 40 mm (0-100 mm) at baseline.
  • Participants should have been on at least 2 different NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) at the highest recommended dose for at least 4 weeks in total prior to baseline with an inadequate response or failure to respond, or less if therapy had to be withdrawn due to intolerance, toxicity or contraindications.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants with radiographic evidence for sacroiliitis, grade ≥ 2 bilaterally or grade ≥ 3 unilaterally (radiological criterion according to the modified New York diagnostic criteria for AS) as assessed by central reader.
  • Participants taking high potency opioid analgesics (e.g., methadone, hydromorphone, morphine).
  • Previous exposure to secukinumab or any other biologic drug directly targeting IL-17 or IL-17 receptor or previous treatment with immunomodulatory biologic agents including those targeting TNFα (tumor necrosis factor α) (unless participants discontinued the treatment with TNFα inhibitor due to a reason other than efficacy [primary or secondary lack of efficacy, inadequate response] and only after appropriate wash-out period prior to baseline was observed).
  • History of hypersensitivity to the study drug or its excipients or to drugs of similar chemical classes.
  • Active ongoing inflammatory diseases other than nr-axSpA that might confound the evaluation of the benefit of secukinumab therapy, including uveitis.
  • Active inflammatory bowel disease.
  • History of ongoing, chronic or recurrent infectious disease or evidence of tuberculosis infection.
04

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
240 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Treatment Period 1

    Open-label Secukinumab PFS (prefilled syringe) labeled as AIN457 150mg/1mL

    Drug: Secukinumab

  • Experimental
    Treatment Period 2

    Double-blind Secukinumab and Placebo PFS labeled as AIN457 150mg/1mL/Placebo

    Drug: Placebo · Drug: Secukinumab

Interventions

  • DrugSecukinumab

    Treatment Period 1: Open-label secukinumab 150 mg PFS s.c. at baseline, Weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4 followed by administration every four weeks up to Week 52.

  • DrugPlacebo

    Treatment Period 2: Double-blind placebo PFS s.c. every 4 weeks from Week 56 to Week 116.

  • DrugSecukinumab

    Treatment Period 2: Double-blind secukinumab 150 mg PFS s.c. every 4 weeks from Week 56 to Week 116. Escape re-treatment (during Treatment Period 2): Open-label secukinumab 150 mg PFS s.c.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. The proportion of participants remaining flare-free during Treatment Period 2

    The primary efficacy endpoint is the proportion of participants in the randomized withdrawal population remaining flare-free at Week 120. A flare is defined as ASDAS-CRP ≥ 2.1 at 2 consecutive visits, or ASDAS-CRP \> 3.5 at any visit during Treatment Period 2, starting at Week 60. Parameters used for ASDAS-CRP include: * Spinal pain (BASDAI question 2), * Patient's global assessment of disease activity, * Peripheral pain/swelling (BASDAI question 3), * Duration of morning stiffness (BASDAI question 6) * C-reactive protein (CRP) in mg/L

    Time frame: Week 120

Secondary outcomes

  1. Time to flare during Treatment Period 2

    A flare is defined as ASDAS-CRP ≥ 2.1 at 2 consecutive visits, or ASDAS-CRP \> 3.5 at any visit during Treatment Period 2, starting at Week 60.

    Time frame: From Week 56 to Week 120

  2. Number of participants with Adverse Events

    Safety and tolerability demonstrated by assessing: \- Adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs)

    Time frame: From Baseline to Week 128

06

Study locations

62 sites
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Genk, Belgium 3600, Belgium
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bruges, 8000, Belgium
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Ghent, 9000, Belgium
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Mons, 7000, Belgium
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais 36010-570, Brazil
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90480-000, Brazil
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Barretos, São Paulo 14784-400, Brazil
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bogota, Cundinamarca 110111, Colombia
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bogota, Cundinamarca 110221, Colombia
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Chía, Cundinamarca 250001, Colombia
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bucaramanga, Santander Department 680003, Colombia
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Prague, 128 00, Czechia
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Prague, 148 00, Czechia
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Prague, 150 06, Czechia
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Uherské Hradiště, 686 01, Czechia
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Chambray-lès-Tours, 37170, France
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Le Mans, 72000, France
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Nice, 06000, France
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Paris, 75012, France
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bad Doberan, 18209, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Berlin, 10777, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Berlin, 13125, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Hamburg, 22415, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Herne, 44649, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Ratingen, 40878, Germany
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Székesfehérvár, Fejér 8000, Hungary
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Debrecen, Hajdu Bihar Megye 4032, Hungary
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Kistarcsa, 2143, Hungary
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Miskolc, 3526, Hungary
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Szeged, 6725, Hungary
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Veszprém, 8200, Hungary
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Kfar Saba, 4428164, Israel
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Ramat Gan, 5265601, Israel
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Tel Aviv, 6423906, Israel
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Ancona, AN 60020, Italy
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Torino, TO 10128, Italy
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Negrar, VR 37024, Italy
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Verona, VR 37126, Italy
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Kuala Lumpur, 59100, Malaysia
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Chihuahua City, Chihuahua 31000, Mexico
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Guadalajara, Jalisco 44650, Mexico
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Guadalajara, Jalisco 44690, Mexico
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Mérida, Yucatán 97070, Mexico
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Heerlen, Limburg 6419 PC, Netherlands
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Amsterdam, North Holland 1105 AZ, Netherlands
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Makati City, National Capital Region 1218, Philippines
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Manila, 1008, Philippines
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Krakow, Lesser Poland Voivodeship 30-727, Poland
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Warsaw, Poland 02-637, Poland
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bydgoszcz, 85-168, Poland
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Krakow, 30-002, Poland
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Sochaczew, 96-500, Poland
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Torun, 87-100, Poland
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Cluj-Napoca, Cluj 400006, Romania
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bucharest, 011055, Romania
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bucharest, 011172, Romania
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Bangkok, 10700, Thailand
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Adana, Yuregir 01230, Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Konya, 42080, Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Ho Chi Minh City, VNM 700000, Vietnam
  • Novartis Investigative Site
    Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam
07

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — Novartis is committed to sharing with qualified external researchers, access to patient-level data and supporting clinical documents from eligible studies. These requests are reviewed and approved by an independent review panel on the basis of scientific merit. All data provided is anonymized to respect the privacy of patients who have participated in the trial in line with applicable laws and regulations. This trial data availability is according to the criteria and process described on www.clinicalstudydatarequest.com

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05622708
Lead sponsor
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Nov 21, 2022
Start date
Mar 28, 2023
Primary completion
Feb 8, 2028 (estimated)
Completion
Apr 4, 2028 (estimated)
Last update
Aug 21, 2026

Study contacts

Novartis Pharmaceuticals
study director · Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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