Acthar Gel treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or dermatomyositis/polymyositis: analysis of physician-reported charts

Aim: To examine the characteristics, treatment patterns, and physicians' assessments of outcomes for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), or dermatomyositis/polymyositis (DM/PM) who received Acthar Gel. Materials & methods: This survey-based medical chart review study asked rheumatologists who met specific inclusion criteria to abstract data from patient records covering the period from April 2022 to November 2024. Eligible patients were adults ≥18 years diagnosed with RA, SLE, or DM/PM, treated with Acthar Gel for ≤24 months. An online questionnaire screened and identified contributing physicians and collected anonymized patient data (baseline demographic, medical history, concomitant medications, Acthar Gel treatment history, and physicians' assessment of health status, symptom severity, treatment outcomes with Acthar Gel). Results: The study population comprised 73 patients with RA (average age 50 years; 49 [67%] female; 44 [60%] White/non-Hispanic), 56 with SLE (average age 42 years; 47 [84%] female; 28 [50%] African–American), and 104 with DM/PM (average age 52 years; 69 [66%] female; 62 [60%] White/non-Hispanic). Patients had received Acthar Gel for an average of 9 (RA) or 8 months (SLE, DM/PM), with most receiving treatment at the time of the study. Per physicians' assessment, health status improved in 68 (93%) patients with RA, 50 (89%) patients with SLE, and 100 (96%) patients with DM/PM after starting treatment with Acthar Gel. The most common treatment goals achieved in patients with improved overall health status were improved overall symptoms, pain, physical function, and corticosteroid use in the RA cohort; overall symptoms, pain, corticosteroid use, and fatigue in the SLE cohort; and overall symptoms, strength, physical function, and corticosteroid use in the DM/PM cohort. Conclusion: These findings support the use of Acthar Gel as a potential treatment option for appropriate patients with RA, SLE, or DM/PM.