Active — Not RecruitingPhase 2

A Clinical Study of Tulisokibart (MK-7240) to Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) (MK-7240-014)

United States, Canada, Chile182 participantsStarted 2025-10-08

Plain-language summary

Researchers are looking for new ways to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methotrexate (MTX) is a standard (usual) treatment for RA. However, MTX and other current treatments may not work well to treat RA symptoms for many people. This study will help find out if a study medicine called tulisokibart can treat symptoms of active RA in people who are taking MTX. In this study, researchers will look at different doses of tulisokibart. Researchers want to learn if at least one of the study doses of tulisokibart works better than a placebo to lessen RA symptoms. A placebo looks like the study medicine but has no study medicine in it. Using a placebo helps researchers better understand the effects of the study medicine.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years – 80 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: The main inclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following: * Has a clinical diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and fulfillment of 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria * Has active disease defined as ≥6 tender joints (based on 68 joints) and ≥6 swollen joints (based on 66 joints) * Has current treatment with oral or parenteral methotrexate (MTX) therapy * Has history of one of the following: a) biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) naïve, or b) bDMARD-Inadequate Response (IR)/intolerant up to a maximum of 2 classes of bDMARDS Exclusion Criteria: The main exclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following: * Has any arthritis with onset before age 17 years or current diagnosis of inflammatory joint disease other than RA (such as, but not limited to, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, gout, systemic sclerosis, myositis, pseudogout, etc) or any other condition that may, in the judgment of the investigator, interfere with the assessment of RA * Has a history of cancer (except fully treated nonmelanoma skin cancers or cervical carcinoma in situ after complete surgical removal) and is disease free for \<5 years before randomization * Has any active infection * Has known allergies, hypersensitivity, or intolerance to tulisokibart or its excipients

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Since this is a Phase 2 trial of tulisokibart (MK-7240) for rheumatoid arthritis, what does that mean for how much we currently know about its safety and effectiveness compared to treatments I could start right now?
2The trial is no longer actively recruiting — does that mean there's no chance of me joining, and if so, are there similar early-phase studies of tulisokibart or other emerging RA treatments worth looking into?
3The main thing this trial is measuring is whether at least 20% improvement in RA symptoms is achieved by week 12 — how does that benchmark compare to what I might expect from standard RA treatments like methotrexate or biologics?
4Would you consider my current disease severity and treatment history a good or poor fit for an experimental drug like this, or would it make more sense to try established therapies first?
5If a trial like this were open to me in the future, what would the demands look like — how many visits, how long, and what monitoring would be involved — and is that realistic given my situation??

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Proportion of Participants Achieving American College of Rheumatology 20% Response Criteria (ACR20) at Week 12

Timeframe: Week 12

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07176390

SponsorMerck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Sponsor typeINDUSTRY

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2026-09-05

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Arthritis, Rheumatoid trials