OBJECTIVES This study examined persistence over 12 months for RA patients who were newly treated with subcutaneous biologics, and assessed if there are differences between patients with and without prior DMARDs experience. METHODS In this retrospective cohort study using Electronic Medical Record database of IMS Disease Analyzer-Germany, adult (≥ 18 years old) RA patients with exposure to a subcutaneous biologic between January 1, 2009 and June 30, 2012 were identified. The first prescription date for the subcutaneous biologic agent was defined as their index date. Patients were excluded from the study if they were prescribed a biologic agent during the pre-index period, and/or diagnosed with ankylosing spondilitis, psoriatic arthritis, or other conditions treated with subcutaneous biologics either pre- or post-index. A chi-square test was used to assess significant differences in the percentage of persistent patients between those with and without DMARD use and a logistic regression model was used to control for differences in baseline demographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS A total of 576 RA patients without prior biologic experience met the study selection criteria; 471 were DMARD experienced and 105 were DMARD naive. The mean (SD) age of the patients was 57 (13), with 75% being female. The majority of patients indexed on etanercept (46%) or adalimumab (40%).  Forty eight percent of the patients  persisted on their index biologic over the 12 months post-index period, with the rate significantly higher among those with pre-index DMARD use (51% vs. 31%; p=0.0012).  After controlling for pre-index characteristics, patients with pre-index DMARD had 2.23 times the odds of being persistent compared to those without pre-index DMARDs (OR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.37-3.62). CONCLUSIONS Approximately half of biologic naïve RA patients were persistent over a 12-month period with their index subcutaneous biologic, with rates significantly higher among patients with pre-index DMARD.