• Male or female patients at least 18 years of age

• Patient has nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) with all of the following criteria:

‣ Adult-onset axial spondyloarthritis meeting Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) classification criteria

⁃ Inflammatory back pain for at least 3 months

⁃ Age at symptom onset of less than 45 years

⁃ NO sacroiliitis (in Anterior-Posterior pelvis or sacroiliac x-ray)

• Active disease defined by Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) \>=4 AND spinal pain \>=4 on a 0 to 10 Numeric Rating Scale

• Objective inflammation defined by sacroiliitis on magnetic resonance imaging and/or elevated C-reactive protein

• Subjects had to have either failed to respond to 2 different nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) given at the maximum tolerated dose for a total of 4 weeks or have a history of intolerance to or a contraindication to NSAID therapy

• Patients who have taken a tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) inhibitor must have experienced an inadequate response or intolerance to treatment given at an approved dose for at least 12 weeks

• Patients currently taking NSAIDs, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors, analgesics, corticosteroids, methotrexate (MTX), leflunomide (LEF), sulfasalazine (SSZ), hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) AND/OR apremilast can be allowed if they fulfill specific requirements prior to study entry