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Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients with active RA and an inadequate response to up to two previous conventional synthetic Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (csDMARD) treatments (methotrexate (MTX), leflunomide (LEF),sulfasalazine (SSZ)) with or without ongoing csDMARD therapy
* RA according to ACR classification criteria
* Age 18 - 65 years
* Active RA is defined as

  * DAS28 \> 3.2 and
  * TJC ≥ 3 and SJC ≥ 3
* VAS-pain ≥ 60 mm (0-100 mm)
* Accompanying CS treatment for RA with a stable dosage of ≥ 2mg/d and ≤ 10 mg/d 2 weeks prior to BL (not more than 30% of patients without CS)
* Accompanying need of NSAID or analgesic treatment due to arthritis and in dosages not exceeding the maximum dose according to Summary of Product characteristics (SmPC)
* If ongoing csDMARD treatment, stable treatment will be defined as either

  * MTX treatment with a dosage of ≥ 10 mg/week and ≤ 25 mg/week, continuously for at least 12 weeks prior to Screening (SCR) with a stable dose of MTX for at least 2 weeks prior to BL or
  * LEF treatment with a dosage between 10 to 20 mg/day, continuously for at least 12 weeks prior to SCR with a stable dose of LEF for at least 2 weeks prior to BL or
  * SSZ treatment with dosage between 1 to 3 g/day, continuously for at least 12 weeks prior to SCR with a stable dose of SSZ for at least 2 weeks prior to BL
* Presence of documented negative results for testing of Hepatitis B and C
* Completed SARS-CoV-2-immunisation as currently recommended by the Standing Committee of Vaccination
* Written informed consent obtained prior to the initiation of any protocol-required procedures
* Willingness to comply to study procedures and study protocol

Exclusion Criteria:

* Previous use of Tofacitinib or other Janus-Kinase (JAK)-inhibitors
* Previous use of Etanercept
* Previous use of any biological agent for RA

  * which was stopped due to lack of efficacy
  * one previous use of biological stopped due to intolerance will be allowed
* CS treatment with dosages \>10 mg at BL
* Known hypersensitivity to any component of the study medication (TOFA, ETA, Celecoxib)
* Previous use of Celecoxib as analgesic therapy which was stopped due to lack of efficacy or intolerance
* Concomitant diseases with chronic pain syndrome or need of extended dosages or long-term treatment with the maximum dosages of NSAID/analgesics (according to SmPC) due to other concomitant diseases/pain symptoms in discretion of the treating physician Exclusion criteria related to general health
* Patients with other chronic inflammatory articular disease or systemic autoimmune disease
* Patients with active Tuberculosis (Tb) (evaluation of Tb according to local standards in clinical care)
* Patients with latent Tb, that are not pre-treated for at least 1 month and planned to be treated 9 months in total with Isozid once a day
* Any active infection, a history of recurrent clinically significant infections (e.g. human immune deficiency virus (HIV)), or a history of recurrent bacterial infections with encapsulated organisms
* Primary or secondary immunodeficiency
* Current malignancy or history of malignancies except adequately treated or excised basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma or cervical carcinoma in situ.
* Patients of 50 years and older, if they have one or more cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) defined as:

  * Current cigarette smoking,
  * Known diagnosis of hypertension,
  * HDL \<40 mg/dl,
  * Diabetes mellitus,
  * History of coronary artery disease: history of revascularization procedure, coronary artery bypass grafting, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, unstable angina, acute coronary syndrome or
  * History of premature coronary heart disease or sudden death documented in first degree relatives (male relative before 55 years, female relative before 65 years)
* Evidence of significant uncontrolled concomitant diseases or serious and/or uncontrolled diseases that are likely to interfere with the evaluation of the patient's safety and with the study outcome
* History of a severe psychological illness or condition
* Known hypersensitivity to sulfonamides
* Active peptic ulceration or gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding
* Patients who have experienced asthma, acute rhinitis, nasal polyps, angioneurotic oedema, urticaria or other allergic-type reactions after taking acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) or other NSAIDs including Cyclooxigenase (COX)-2 inhibitors
* Risk for or history of thrombotic events (e.g. pulmonary embolism or thrombosis) Severe hepatic dysfunction (serum albumin \< 25 g/L or Child-Pugh score ≥ 10)
* Patients with estimated creatinine clearance \< 30 mL/min
* Inflammatory bowel disease
* Congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association (NYHA) II-IV)
* Established ischaemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease and/or cerebrovascular disease
* Women lactating, pregnant, nursing or of childbearing potential with a positive pregnancy test
* Males or females of reproductive potential not willing to use effective contraception (e.g. contraceptive pill, intrauterine device (IUD), physical barrier)
* Alcohol, drug or chemical abuse Exclusion criteria related to prior treatments
* Current participation in another interventional clinical trial or participation within the last 90 days Exclusion criteria related to formal aspects
* Underage or incapable patients

• Berlin, Germany
• Berlin, Germany
• Frankfurt, Germany
• Herne, Germany
• München, Germany
• Ratingen, Germany