Table 2

Studies investigating monotherapy of TNFi and non TNFi agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Monotherapy superior to placeboMonotherapy at least comparable to MTX/DMARDsMonotherapy at least comparable to the agent plus MTX/DMARDs
TNFi agents
 Adalimumab✓100✓14X14 15 101
 EtanerceptNR✓3 17 102 103 104✓102 107
X3 17 40 41 105
 Golimumab✓128 129✓16 108 109X16
 Certolizumab✓21 110NRNR
Non-TNFi agents
 Abatacept✓111NR✓112
 RituximabNR✓22NR
 Anakinra✓113NRNR
 Tocilizumab✓117✓114 115 117 125 130✓79 119 120 122 131
 TofacitinibNR✓132NR

  • DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; MTX, methotrexate; NR, not reported; TNFi, tumour necrosis factor inhibitor.