Which RA drug works best after the first one fails? a major trial aims to find out

NCT ID NCT04692493

First seen Jul 17, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026

Summary

This study compares two treatment strategies for people with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have already tried a type of biologic called a TNF inhibitor. Participants are randomly assigned to switch to either a different class of biologic (non-TNFi) or a newer oral medication called a targeted synthetic DMARD. The goal is to see which approach better improves daily function and symptoms, providing real-world evidence to guide treatment decisions.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
switching to either a non-TNFi biologic (rituximab, abatacept, tocilizumab, or sarilumab) or a targeted synthetic DMARD (tofacitinib, baricitinib, or upadacitinib)
What this could lead to
If successful, this trial could provide clear evidence on which treatment strategy works better for people with rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded to a TNFi biologic, helping doctors and patients make more informed choices.
What could go wrong
This is a real-world study, not a tightly controlled lab experiment, so results may be influenced by factors like patient preferences or insurance coverage. Also, the treatments compared are already approved, so the study may not lead to a new drug.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

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  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Allegheny Health Network

    RECRUITING

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15212, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

    Contact

  • Altoona Center for Clinical Research

    RECRUITING

    Duncansville, Pennsylvania, 16635, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • American Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates -Mi PLLC

    RECRUITING

    Okemos, Michigan, 48864, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • American Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates LLC

    RECRUITING

    Clearwater, Florida, 33765, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • American Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates LLC

    RECRUITING

    Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33309, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • American Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates-Tx PLLC

    RECRUITING

    Harlingen, Texas, 78550, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Arthritis & Rheumatology Center of South Florida

    RECRUITING

    Margate, Florida, 33063, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Arthritis Medical Center

    RECRUITING

    Nipomo, California, 93444, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Arthritis and Rheumatology of Southwest Ohio

    RECRUITING

    Liberty Township, Ohio, 45069, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Baylor University

    RECRUITING

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Bendcare, LLC

    RECRUITING

    Birmingham, Alabama, 35244, United States

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • CZ Rheumatology

    RECRUITING

    Coral Springs, Florida, 33065, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Center for Rheumatology Research

    RECRUITING

    Woodland Hills, California, 91364, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Cumberland Rhematology

    RECRUITING

    Crossville, Tennessee, 38555, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Dr. Jayashree Sinha

    RECRUITING

    Clovis, New Mexico, 88101, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • East Alabama Arthritis Center PC

    RECRUITING

    Auburn, Alabama, 36830, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • George Munoz MD, PC

    RECRUITING

    Aventura, Florida, 33180, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Heritage Rheumatology and Arthritis Care

    RECRUITING

    Colleyville, Texas, 76034, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Hospital for Special Surgery

    RECRUITING

    New York, New York, 10021, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Indiana University Health

    RECRUITING

    Carmel, Indiana, 46280, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Inspire Santa Fe Medical Group

    RECRUITING

    Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87505, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Johns Hopkins University

    RECRUITING

    Baltimore, Maryland, 21224, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Life Medical Research Group

    RECRUITING

    Miami Gardens, Florida, 33014, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Mayo Clinic Jacksonville

    RECRUITING

    Jacksonville, Florida, 32224, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Mayo Clinic Rochester

    RECRUITING

    Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Mount Sinai Hospital (Canada)

    RECRUITING

    Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3L9, Canada

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • New York University

    RECRUITING

    New York, New York, 10016, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Northern Virginia Center for Arthritis-Reston

    RECRUITING

    Reston, Virginia, 20190, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Oregon Health and Science University

    RECRUITING

    Portland, Oregon, 97239, United States

    Contact

    Contact

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • PA Regional Center for Arthritis and Osteoporosis Research

    RECRUITING

    Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, 19610, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Pacific Arthritis Care Center

    RECRUITING

    Los Angeles, California, 90045, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Palm Beach Rheumatology and Wellness

    RECRUITING

    Jupiter, Florida, 33458, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Rheumatology and Arthritis Care Center

    RECRUITING

    Exton, Pennsylvania, 19341-2547, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Saint Paul Rheumatology, P.A.

    RECRUITING

    Eagan, Minnesota, 55121, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Rheumatology

    RECRUITING

    Brunswick, Georgia, 31520, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Southern Ohio Rheumatology

    RECRUITING

    Wheelersburg, Ohio, 45694, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Southwest Florida Rheumatology

    RECRUITING

    Riverview, Florida, 33569, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Southwest Medical Center

    RECRUITING

    Dallas, Texas, 75235, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • SunValley Arthritis Center, Ltd

    RECRUITING

    Peoria, Arizona, 85381, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Texas Arthritis Center, PA

    RECRUITING

    El Paso, Texas, 77902, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • The MetroHealth System

    RECRUITING

    Cleveland, Ohio, 44109, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Tufts University

    RECRUITING

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02111, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Turlock Arthritis & Osteoporosis Center,

    RECRUITING

    Turlock, California, 95382, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • University Hospital Cleveland Medical Ctr

    RECRUITING

    Cleveland, Ohio, 44106, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • University of Alabama at Birmingham

    RECRUITING

    Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • University of Arizona

    RECRUITING

    Tucson, Arizona, 85724, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • University of California, Los Angeles

    RECRUITING

    Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School

    RECRUITING

    Worcester, Massachusetts, 01655, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Vanderbilt University

    RECRUITING

    Nashville, Tennessee, 37235, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

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