Baricitinib Might Expand Options for Patients with Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis

In a phase III trial, the Janus kinase inhibitor baricitinib relieved symptoms in RA patients who didn't respond to biologic therapies.

Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) don't respond sufficiently to methotrexate and available biologic agents, so new therapies are needed. One new therapeutic approach is to inhibit Janus kinases (JAKs), a family of enzymes that is implicated in RA pathophysiology. Tofacitinib (Xeljanz) is a preferential JAK1/JAK3 inhibitor that is FDA approved for treating patients who don't respond to methotrexate. Now, researchers report results of an industry-sponsored phase III trial of the JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor baricitinib. A total of 527 patients with moderate-to-severe RA who didn't respond to or couldn't tolerate one or more tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, other biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), or both, were randomi…

Reviewing Author

Jonathan S. Coblyn, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory BoardCVS Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Jonathan S. Coblyn, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory BoardCVS Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Baricitinib Might Expand Options for Patients with Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Reviewing Author