A Study of Guselkumab in Participants With Systemic Sclerosis

A Multicenter, Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Double-blind, Proof-of-concept Study of Guselkumab in Participants With Systemic Sclerosis

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of guselkumab in participants with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Inclusion criteria:

• Diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 2013 criteria
• Diffuse cutaneous SSc according to the LeRoy criteria that is, skin fibrosis proximal to the elbows and knees in addition to acral fibrosis
• Disease duration of ≤36 months (defined as time from first non-Raynaud phenomenon manifestation).
• Greater than or equal to (>=) 10 and less than or equal to (<=) 22 modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) units at screening and Week 0
• Forced vital capacity (FVC) >= 60 percent (%) of predicted at screening
• Diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) >= 40% of predicted (hemoglobin-corrected) at screening.
• Participants who meet 1 of the following criteria at screening: increase of >=3 mRSS units, compared with an assessment performed within the previous 2 to 6 months; Involvement of 1 new body area with an increase of >=2 mRSS units compared with an assessment performed within the previous 2 to 6 months; and Involvement of 2 new body areas with increase of >=1 mRSS units compared with the assessment within the previous 2 to 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of liver or renal insufficiency (estimated creatinine clearance below 60 milliliter per minute [mL/min]); significant cardiac, vascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, endocrine, neurologic, hematologic, rheumatologic, psychiatric, or metabolic disturbances
• Has any known severe or uncontrolled SSc complications including hemoptysis, pulmonary hemorrhage, renal crisis
• Has an interstitial lung disease requiring oxygen therapy
• Has any rheumatic disease other than SSc such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyositis/dermatomyositis that could interfere with assessment of SSc
• Has a current diagnosis or signs or symptoms of severe, progressive, or uncontrolled renal, cardiac, vascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, endocrine, neurologic, hematologic, rheumatologic, psychiatric, or metabolic disturbances. (or, in the investigator's opinion, any other concomitant medical condition that places the participant at risk by participating in this study)