Abbott Presents Phase 3 Study Results for Investigational Use of HUMIRA in Patients with Active Peripheral Spondyloarthritis

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced results from the Phase 3 ABILITY-2 investigational study of HUMIRA® (adalimumab) in patients with active peripheral spondyloarthritis (PSpA) who have not been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) or ankylosing spondylitis (AS). At week 12, nearly twice as many HUMIRA patients compared to those receiving placebo achieved the primary endpoint, defined as at least a 40 percent improvement in the peripheral SpA response criteria (PSpARC 40). These results were presented at the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 2012 Congress in Berlin, Germany.ABILITY-2 is the first randomized, controlled trial to use the new Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) peripheral SpA criteria to enroll PSpA patients – not including patients with PsA or AS – as well as evaluate an anti-tumor necrosis factor medication (anti-TNF) in treating these patients.PSpA is characterized by peripheral arthritis (asymmetric, lower limb or both), enthesitis (painful inflammation where a tendon or ligament attaches to bone) or dactylitis (a painful and swollen digit), in addition to the presence of other features (family history of SpA, history of inflammation in the eye, past or current history of psoriasis or inflammatory bowel disease).