Early Phase Study to Assess Efficacy and Safety of AZD9567 Versus Prednisolone in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

This is a phase 2a study to be run in 2-3 countries in European Union involving 5-6 sites. It will enroll approximately 80 patients to ensure 40 randomized with active rheumatoid arthritis. The treatment period is 2 weeks and total study duration per patient is approximately 1 month. The study drugs are AZD9567 40 mg (an oral SGRM) and the comparator is prednisolone 20mg. The primary endpoint is DAS28 including evaluation of 28 joints and C-reactive protein. Safety parameters will also be evaluated and a biomarker program is included for future research.