December 2016

Biologic or Tofacitinib Monotherapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis in People with Traditional Disease-modifying Anti-rheumatic Drug (DMARD) Failure: a Cochrane Systematic Review and Network meta-analysis (NMA)

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016;11:CD012437.

Treatment options for RA patients who are MTX/DMARD incomplete responders (IR) include other DMARDs, biologics or tofacitinib (TOF). However, there is a lack of direct head-to-head comparator trials of biologics in people with RA. This review provides an update of the 2009 Cochrane overview, ‘Biologics for rheumatoid arthritis’,1 and provides comparisons and estimates for biologic or TOF monotherapy in MTX/DMARD-IR people with RA.The benefits and harms of biologic monotherapy (TNFis: adalimumab,...

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Sarilumab and Non-biologic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs in Patients with Active RA and Inadequate Response or Intolerance to TNF Inhibitors

Arthritis Rheumatol 2016. DOI:10.1002/art.39944.

In this Phase 3 study (TARGET) of TNF-IR patients, sarilumab plus csDMARD(s) demonstrated clinical efficacy and improvements in physical function versus placebo plus csDMARD(s).Patients (N=546) were randomised 1:1:1 to sarilumab 150 mg, 200 mg Q2W or placebo (all plus csDMARD[s]). Two co-primary endpoints versus placebo were investigated: ACR20 response rate at Week 24, and HAQ-DI change from baseline at Week 12.As well as improvements in ACR20 responses (33.7% vs 55.8 and 60.9%, for placebo, sa...

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August 2016

Risk for Lower Intestinal Perforations in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated with Tocilizumab in Comparison to Treatment with Other Biologic or Conventional Synthetic DMARDs

Ann Rheum Dis 2016;0:1–7 DOI 10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-209773.

This real-life study confirms findings from the tocilizumab (TCZ) clinical development program that IL-6 inhibition with TCZ may be associated with increased risk of lower intestinal perforation (LIP). Data were analysed from the RABBIT register of patients. The primary outcome was the incidence of LIPs in patients exposed to TCZ, csDMARDs, TNFis, abatacept, or rituximab. Thirty-seven LIPs were observed in 53,972 patient years. The proportion of patients who developed a LIP was higher in patient...

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July 2016

Risk for Gastrointestinal Perforation Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Receiving Tofacitinib, Tocilizumab, or Other Biologics

Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016 May 17. DOI 10.1002/art.39761 [Epub ahead of print]

Historically, patients with RA have suffered with upper tract gastrointestinal perforation (GIPs), associated with NSAID use. More recently, the IL-6 receptor antagonist tocilizumab (TCZ) has been associated with lower tract GIPs. Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, including tofacitinib (TOF), with some downstream effects on IL-6 signalling, also have potential for an increased risk of GIPs.There is limited real-world evidence and almost no comparative evidence on the risk for GIP associated with TC...

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May 2016

Initial Experience with Tofacitinib in Clinical Practice: Treatment Patterns and Costs of Tofacitinib Administered as Monotherapy or in Combination with Conventional Synthetic DMARDs in 2 US Health Care Claims Databases

Clin Ther. 2016 Mar 28. doi: 10.1116/j.clinthera. 2016.03.038 [Epub ahead of print]

This study analyzes data from two US claims databases between November 2012 and June 2014. It was designed to build upon knowledge from tofacitinib Phase 3 clinical trials providing clinical insights from independent sources on treatment patterns and costs for tofacitinib. Data were collected from 337 patients in the Truven Marketscan (TM) and 118 patients in the Optum Clinformatics (OC) databases. In this early experience cohort for tofacitinib, approximately 75% of patients had previously rece...

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January 2016

Systematic review and meta-analysis of serious infections with tofacitinib and biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug treatment in rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials

Arthritis Res Ther. 2015 Dec 15;17(1):362

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of RA. By modulating the signalling of cytokines that are integral to lymphocyte activation, proliferation, and function, tofacitinib may suppress multiple elements of immune response. A systematic literature search including all biologics and tofacitinib procured 66 RCTs and 22 LTEs that were included in a meta-analysis to provide estimated incidence rates, risk ratios, and risk differences of serious infection for each therapy. Es...

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