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PsoriasisPhase 3REFINENCT01313221

Efficacy and Safety of Etanercept 50 mg Once Weekly Plus As Needed Topical Agent in Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis

A Phase 3 study testing etanercept and Topical agents in people with Psoriasis, run by Amgen at 24 sites in Canada.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

To estimate the difference in effectiveness between treatment with etanercept 50 mg twice weekly (BIW) and treatment with etanercept 50 mg once weekly (QW) plus an as needed (PRN) topical agent for 12 weeks in adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Psoriasis
What is being tested?
etanercept and Topical agents
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
310 participants
Where
24 sitesCanada
Study dates
Apr 2011to May 2013
Phase
Phase 3
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Has had stable moderate to severe plaque psoriasis for at least 6 months (eg, no morphology changes or significant flares of disease activity in the opinion of the investigator).
  • Has a body surface area (BSA) involvement ≥ 10% and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) ≥ 10 at screening and at baseline.
  • Is a candidate for systemic therapy or phototherapy in the opinion of the investigator.
  • Other inclusion criteria may apply.

Who cannot join

  • Has active guttate, erythrodermic, or pustular psoriasis at the time of the screening visit.
  • Has evidence of skin conditions at the time of the screening visit (eg, eczema) that would interfere with evaluations of the effect of etanercept on psoriasis.
  • Diagnosed with medication-induced or medication-exacerbated psoriasis.
  • Significant concurrent medical conditions.
  • Has any active localized infection; requiring local intervention or chronic or localized infections.
  • Other exclusion criteria may apply.

Trial locations and contacts

24 sites in 1 country.

24 sites in 1 country

Canada24 sites
  • Research Site

    Calgary, Alberta, T2G 1B1

  • Research Site

    Courtice, Ontario, L1E 3C3

  • Research Site

    Greater Sudbury, Ontario, P3C 1X8

  • Research Site

    Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 1Z4

  • Research Site

    Markham, Ontario, L3P 1A8

  • Research Site

    Mississauga, Ontario, L5H 1G9

  • Research Site

    Moncton, New Brunswick, E1C 8X3

  • Research Site

    Montreal, Quebec, H2K 4L5

  • Research Site

    Montreal, Quebec, H3Z 2S6

  • Research Site

    North Bay, Ontario, P1B 3Z7

  • Research Site

    Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 1Z2

  • Research Site

    Québec, Quebec, G1J 1X7

  • Research Site

    Québec, Quebec, G1V 4X7

  • Research Site

    Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4B 1A5

  • Research Site

    Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, J2S 6L6

  • Research Site

    St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1A 5E8

  • Research Site

    St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 2H5

  • Research Site

    Surrey, British Columbia, V3R 6A7

  • Research Site

    Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5Y8

  • Research Site

    Toronto, Ontario, M4V 1R1

  • Research Site

    Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4E8

  • Research Site

    Waterloo, Ontario, N2J 1C4

  • Research Site

    Windsor, Ontario, N8W 5L7

  • Research Site

    Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 0N2

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: A Randomized, Blinded Assessor Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Etanercept 50 mg Once Weekly Plus As Needed Topical Agent Versus Etanercept 50 mg Twice Weekly in Subjects With Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis

To estimate the difference in effectiveness between treatment with etanercept 50 mg twice weekly (BIW) and treatment with etanercept 50 mg once weekly (QW) plus an as needed (PRN) topical agent for 12 weeks in adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

Read the detailed description

The recommended starting dose of etanercept for adult plaque psoriasis patients is a 50 mg dose given twice a week (BIW) for 3 months followed by a reduction to a maintenance dose of 50 mg once weekly (QW). While most patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis are managed satisfactorily on etanercept monotherapy, a proportion may require a modified or alternative treatment regimen (eg, to handle flares or loss of effect) at some point during their chronic management. Despite the clinical need, no published data from randomized controlled studies are currently available that demonstrate efficacy and safety of combined etanercept-based regimens in patients with plaque psoriasis.

The addition of an as-needed topical medication to the step-down dose of etanercept 50 mg once weekly administered after the initial 12 week period of 50 mg twice weekly may be a potential option for patients who may require adjunctive therapy. This study aimed to provide data on this treatment option by estimating the difference in mean percent change in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores between step-down etanercept 50 mg once weekly supplemented with as-needed topical medication and continuous treatment with etanercept 50 mg twice weekly.

Eligible patients will be enrolled in the study and will receive etanercept 50 mg twice weekly for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks of etanercept treatment, participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to 1 of 2 treatment groups.

Conditions
Psoriasis
Being tested
etanercept, Topical agents
Keywords
plaque psoriasis, moderate, severe, etanercept, Enbrel, topical
Medical subject headings
Psoriasis, Lymphoma, Follicular

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • etanerceptBiological

    Also called Enbrel

    Administered by subcutaneous injection

  • Topical agentsDrug

    Topical agents prescribed at the discretion of the Principal Investigator and were are limited to the following:

    • hydrocortisone 2.5%
    • betamethasone valerate 0.1%
    • betamethasone dipropionate 0.05%
    • clobetasol 0.05%
    • calcitriol
    • calcipotriol plus betamethsone dipropionate 0.05%
Study groups in NCT01313221
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Etanercept 50 mg BIWActive comparatorFollowing 12 weeks of etanercept 50 mg twice weekly, participants were randomized to 50 mg etanercept twice weekly for 12 weeks.
Receives: Biological: etanercept
Etanercept 50 mg QW + TopicalExperimentalFollowing 12 weeks of etanercept 50 mg twice weekly, participants were randomized to 50 mg etanercept once weekly plus as needed topical agents.
Receives: Biological: etanercept; Drug: Topical agents

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Percent Change in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) From Week 12 to Week 24

    The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score is a combination of the intensity of psoriasis, assessed by the erythema (reddening), induration (plaque thickness) and desquamation (scaling) on a scale from none (0), mild (1), moderate (2), severe (3) or very severe (4), together with the percentage of the area affected, rated on a scale from 0 to 6. PASI scoring is performed at four body areas, the head, arms, trunk, and legs. The total PASI score ranges from 0 to 72. The higher the total score, the more severe the disease. Change from Week 12 to Week 24 is presented as a percentage of the Week 12 value: Week 12 value - Week 24 value / Week 12 value * 100 so that a positive change indicates improvement. Change was adjusted for treatment using a mixed model.

    Measured: Week 12 and Week 24

Secondary outcomes (22)
  1. Percent Change in PASI From Week 12 to Weeks 16 and 20

    The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score is a combination of the intensity of psoriasis, assessed by the erythema (reddening), induration (plaque thickness) and desquamation (scaling) on a scale from none (0), mild (1), moderate (2), severe (3) or very severe (4), together with the percentage of the area affected, rated on a scale from 0 to 6. PASI scoring is performed at four body areas, the head, arms, trunk, and legs. The total PASI score ranges from 0 to 72. The higher the total score, the more severe the disease. Change from Week 12 presented as a percentage of the Week 12 value: Week 12 value - postbaseline value / Week 12 value * 100, so that a positive change indicates improvement. Change was adjusted for treatment using a mixed model.

    Measured: Week 12, Week 16 and Week 20

  2. Percent Change in PASI From Baseline to Weeks 12, 16, 20, and 24

    The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score is a combination of the intensity of psoriasis, assessed by the erythema (reddening), induration (plaque thickness) and desquamation (scaling) on a scale from none (0), mild (1), moderate (2), severe (3) or very severe (4), together with the percentage of the area affected, rated on a scale from 0 to 6. PASI scoring is performed at four body areas, the head, arms, trunk, and legs. The total PASI score ranges from 0 to 72. The higher the total score, the more severe the disease. Change from Baseline is presented as a percentage of the Baseline value: Baseline value - postbaseline value / Baseline value * 100, so that a positive change indicates improvement.

    Measured: Baseline and Weeks 12, 16, 20, and 24

  3. Percentage of Participants With a PASI 50 Response

    The percentage of participants with a 50% reduction (improvement) in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score from Baseline. PASI score is based on an assessment of erythema (reddening), induration (plaque thickness), desquamation (scaling), and the percent area affected as observed on the day of examination. The score ranges from 0 (best outcome) to 72 (worst outcome).

    Measured: Baseline and Weeks 12, 16, 20 and 24

  4. Percentage of Participants With a PASI 75 Response

    The percentage of participants with a 75% reduction (improvement) in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score from Baseline. PASI score is based on an assessment of erythema (reddening), induration (plaque thickness), desquamation (scaling), and the percent area affected as observed on the day of examination. The score ranges from 0 (best outcome) to 72 (worst outcome).

    Measured: Baseline and Weeks 12, 16, 20 and 24

  5. Percentage of Participants With a PASI 90 Response

    The percentage of participants with a 90% reduction (improvement) in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score from Baseline. PASI score is based on an assessment of erythema (reddening), induration (plaque thickness), desquamation (scaling), and the percent area affected as observed on the day of examination. The score ranges from 0 (best outcome) to 72 (worst outcome).

    Measured: Baseline and Weeks 12, 16, 20 and 24

  6. Percentage of Participants With a Static Physician's Global Assessment (sPGA) of Psoriasis Score of 0 (Clear) or 1 (Almost Clear)

    The sPGA scale is completed by the same blinded assessor performing the PASI assessments and is designed to evaluate the physician's global assessment of the participant's psoriasis based on severity of induration, scaling, and erythema. The sPGA is assessed on a scale of 0 to 5 (0 = clear, 5 = severe).

    Measured: Weeks 12, 16, 20, and 24

  7. Percent Change in the Percentage of Body Surface Area (BSA) Involvement From Week 12 to Weeks 16, 20, and 24

    The percentage of body surface area involved with psoriasis was measured by the same blinded assessor performing the PASI assessments. Change from Week 12 is presented as a percentage of the Week 12 value: Week 12 value - postbaseline value / Week 12 value * 100, so that a positive change indicates improvement.

    Change was adjusted for treatment using a mixed model.

    Measured: Weeks 12, 16, 20, and 24

  8. Percent Change in the Percentage of Body Surface Area (BSA) Involvement From Baseline to Weeks 12, 16, 20, and 24

    The percentage of body surface area involved with psoriasis was measured by the same blinded assessor performing the PASI assessments.

    Change from Baseline \ is presented as a percentage of the Baseline value: Baseline value - postbaseline value / Baseline value * 100, so that a positive change indicates improvement.

    Measured: Baseline and Weeks 12, 16, 20, and 24

  9. Change From Week 12 to Week 24 in Dermatology Quality of Life Index (DQLI) Total Score

    The DLQI questionnaire asks participants to evaluate the degree that psoriasis has affected their quality of life in the last week, and includes the following parameters: symptoms and feelings, daily activities, leisure activities, work or school activities, personal relationships and treatment related feelings. Participants answer 10 questions on a scale from 0 (not at all) to 3 (very much); the range of the total score is 0 to 30. A score of 21 to 30 means an extremely large effect on the participant's life whereas 0-1 means that the disease has no effect at all. Change from Week 12 to Week 24 is calculated as: Week 12 value - Week 24 value so that a positive change indicates improvement. Change was adjusted for treatment using a mixed model.

    Measured: Week 12 and Week 24

  10. Change From Baseline to Weeks 12 and 24 in Dermatology Quality of Life Index (DQLI) Total Score

    The DLQI questionnaire asks participants to evaluate the degree that psoriasis has affected their quality of life in the last week, and includes the following parameters: symptoms and feelings, daily activities, leisure activities, work or school activities, personal relationships and treatment related feelings. Participants answer 10 questions on a scale from 0 (not at all) to 3 (very much); the range of the total score is 0 to 30. A score of 21 to 30 means an extremely large effect on the participant's life whereas 0-1 means that the disease has no effect at all. Change from Baseline was calculated as Baseline value - postbaseline value so that a positive change indicates improvement.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12 and Week 24

  11. Change in Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) Scores From Week 12 to Week 24

    TSQM is a validated questionnaire consisting of 14 questions regarding a participant's perception of the level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the medication they are taking. Four scales are generated: side effects, effectiveness, convenience, and global satisfaction. Optional responses are: Extremely Dissatisfied, Very Dissatisfied, Dissatisfied, Somewhat Satisfied, Satisfied, Very Satisfied, and Extremely Satisfied. From the responses, a scale score from 0 - 100 is calculated, with a higher score indicating greater satisfaction. Change was calculated as Week 24 - Week 12 so that a positive change indicates improvement over time. Change was adjusted for treatment using a mixed model.

    Measured: Week 12 and Week 24

  12. Change in Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) Scores From Baseline to Weeks 12 and 24

    The TSQM is a validated questionnaire consisting of 14 questions regarding a participant's perception of the level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the medication they are taking. Four scales are generated: side effects, effectiveness, convenience, and global satisfaction. Optional responses are: Extremely Dissatisfied, Very Dissatisfied, Dissatisfied, Somewhat Satisfied, Satisfied, Very Satisfied, and Extremely Satisfied. From the responses, a scale score from 0 - 100 is calculated, with a higher score indicating greater satisfaction. Change was calculated as postbaseline value - Baseline value so that a positive change indicates improvement.

    Measured: Baseline and Weeks 12 and 24

  13. Health Resource Utilization: Number of Participants With Visits to a Healthcare Provider

    Participants completed a questionnaire to assess their health resource utilization (HRU) related to psoriasis. To assess the number of visits to a healthcare provider, participants answered the following questions regarding the past 4 weeks: How many times have you been to any physician's office or urgent care clinic? How many times have you seen a nurse practitioner, a physician assistant, a psychologist, a naturopath, an acupuncturist, a chiropractor, or other healthcare professional (HCP)? The number of participants with one or more visits is reported.

    Measured: Baseline and 24 weeks

  14. Health Resource Utilization: Number of Participants With Home Healthcare Visits

    Participants completed a questionnaire to assess their health resource utilization (HRU) related to psoriasis. To assess the number of homecare visits, participants answered the following question regarding the past 4 weeks: How many times have you received care from a health professional in your home? The number of participants with one or more visits is reported.

    Measured: Baseline and 24 weeks

  15. Health Resource Utilization: Number of Participants Requiring Paid Help With Chores

    Participants completed a questionnaire to assess their health resource utilization (HRU) related to psoriasis. To assess the number of participants who needed paid help with chores, participants answered the following question regarding the past 4 weeks: How many times have you paid someone to help you do chores around the house (cleaning, maintenance, lawn care)? The number of participants who paid for help one or more times is reported.

    Measured: Baseline and 24 weeks

  16. Health Resource Utilization: Number of Participants Who Needed Friend or Family Care

    Participants completed a questionnaire to assess their health resource utilization (HRU) related to psoriasis. Participants answered the following question regarding the past 4 weeks: How many hours have you had a friend or family member take time off work to provide care or transportation? The number of participants who had paid or non-paid help for one or more hours is reported.

    Measured: Baseline and 24 weeks

  17. Health Resource Utilization: Out of Pocket Expenses

    Participants completed a questionnaire to assess their health resource utilization (HRU) related to psoriasis. To assess out of pocket expenses, participants answered the following question regarding the past 4 weeks: Not counting study mandated visits, what out-of-pocket expenses did you spend for the management of psoriasis (i.e. costs due to travelling to doctor appointment, hospital or clinic parking costs, alternative medications)?

    Measured: Baseline and 24 weeks

  18. Health Resource Utilization: Employment Status

    Participants completed a questionnaire to assess their health resource utilization (HRU) related to psoriasis. Participants were asked their employment status at Baseline and at Week 24.

    Measured: Baseline and 24 weeks

  19. Health Resource Utilization: Productivity While Working

    Participants who were employed were asked: How much did your psoriasis affect your productivity while you were working? Possible responses were: a) A great deal; b) Quite a bit; c) Somewhat; d) Minimally; e) Not at all.

    Measured: Baseline and 24 weeks

  20. Health Resource Utilization: Number of Participants With Missed Hours From Work

    Participants who were employed answered the following question regarding the past 4 weeks: How many hours per week did you miss from work because of your psoriasis? The number of participants with one or more missed hours of work per week is reported.

    Measured: Baseline and 24 weeks

  21. Health Resource Utilization: Ability to Perform Daily Activities

    Participants were asked: How much did your psoriasis affect your ability to do your daily activities or household chores? Possible answers were: a) A great deal; b) Quite a bit; c) Somewhat; d) Minimally; e) Not at all.

    Measured: Baseline and 24 weeks

  22. Number of Participants With Adverse Events

    An adverse event (AE) is defined as any untoward medical occurrence in a clinical trial participant. A serious adverse event is defined as an adverse event that meets at least 1 of the following serious criteria: • fatal, • life threatening, • requires in-patient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization, • results in persistent or significant disability/incapacity, • congenital anomaly/birth defect, and/or • other significant medical hazard.

    Measured: 32 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted11 Mar 2011 (estimated)
  2. Study startApr 2011
  3. Primary completionDec 2012
  4. Study completionMay 2013

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
310 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01313221
Sponsor's protocol ID
20090647
Acronym
REFINE
Status last verified
Feb 2017
First submitted
24 Feb 2011
Last updated
15 Mar 2017

Publications

  • Papp KA, Barber K, Bissonnette R, Bourcier M, Lynde CW, Poulin Y, Shelton J, Garces K, Toole J, Poulin-Costello M. Improvements in patient-reported outcomes in patients with psoriasis receiving etanercept plus topical therapies: results from REFINE. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2015 Aug;29(8):1555-61. doi: 10.1111/jdv.12934. Epub 2015 Jan 21.

    PubMed 25611084
  • Papp KA, Barber K, Bissonnette R, Bourcier M, Lynde CW, Poulin Y, Shelton J, Toole J, Vieira A, Poulin-Costello M. A Randomized, blinded assessor study to Evaluate the efFIcacy and safety of etanercept 50 mg once weekly plus as Needed topical agent vs. Etanercept 50 mg twice weekly in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (REFINE). J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2015 Feb;29(2):361-366. doi: 10.1111/jdv.12555. Epub 2014 Jul 1.

    PubMed 24980988
  • Gooderham MJ, Poulin-Costello M, Shelton J, Bayan N, Papp KA. Predictors of Topical Use in Psoriasis Patients in the REFINE Study. J Cutan Med Surg. 2016 Mar-Apr;20(2):106-12. doi: 10.1177/1203475415604322. Epub 2015 Sep 1.

    PubMed 26330052

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 3 study testing etanercept and Topical agents in people with Psoriasis, run by Amgen at 24 sites in Canada.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 15 Mar 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 24 sites in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 2 May 2014). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Percent Change in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) From Week 12 to Week 24 (time frame: Week 12 and Week 24). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01313221, which also lists 3 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 15 Mar 2017; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.

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