The drug is being developed in partnership with Schering-Plough. The company said it expected trials to resume by mid-January and believes that the delay will not affect the regulatory process for the drug.
According to a spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson, the suspended enrollment of the trial is not associated with safety or manufacturing issues.
A phase II study of golimumab plus methotrexate showed that nearly 75% of patients experienced at least 20% improvement in arthritis symptoms. Patients also achieved remission, showing a decrease in swollen joints and inflammation.
The drug would be marketed by Johnson & Johnson in the United States and by Schering-Plough outside the US.