High paraoxonase activity is associated with a significantly reduced risk of MACE and non-NMSC malignancies in white/European RA patients. The PON1 Q192R RR genotype had a significantly greater association with paraoxonase versus the QQ genotype, but had no significant association with MACE or non-NMSC malignancies.

This study by Tanaka, et al. shows that filgotinib reduces peripheral protein biomarkers associated with JAK/STAT signalling, inflammatory signalling, immune cell migration, and bone resorption in RA patients. Notably, filgotinib 200 mg significantly reduced IL-6, TNF, CXCL13 levels as early as Week 4.

This review by Taylor, et al. reviews the long-term safety and efficacy data for baricitinib. Results from several studies showed that baricitinib has greater efficacy and survival compared to TNF inhibitors, and that the rate of CDAI <10 for baricitinib-treated RA patients increased over the course of seven years. Data also showed that remission rates were higher in real-world evidence than in RCTs.

July 2023

Results from the 3-year PsABio study demonstrated that, generally, ustekinumab and TNFi treatment led to an improvement in PROs. In coming to this conclusion, researchers aimed to evaluate the real-world effect of ustekinumab or a TNFi on PRO and their association with effectiveness endpoints in PsA patients over 3 years.

This study confirms the safety of long-term apremilast use in patients with plaque PsO, active PsA, or oral ulcers associated with Behçet’s syndrome. In coming to this conclusion, investigators conducted a pooled analysis of apremilast data from 15 clinical studies with open-label extension phases, focusing on long-term safety.

Phase 3 trial of baricitinib demonstrates efficacy with acceptable safety profile in polyarticular and extended oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, juvenile psoriatic arthritis and enthesitis-related arthritis.

Cicirello, et al. present results showing that baricitinib is comparable in treatment persistence with TNF inhibitors. However, treatment persistence up to 24 months was significantly longer for baricitinib, but the effect size of one month is not clinically meaningful.

Pots hoc analysis of peficitinib Phase 3 trials shows that continued treatment with peficitinib up to Week 52 is linked to improved remission rates in Asian patients with RA.

This single-centre study by Khan, et al. suggests that high-dose methotrexate (25 mg/week, subcutaneously) may be as efficacious as tofacitinib in patients with established RA who are DMARD naïve or have not received a therapeutic dose of DMARDs.

Pots hoc analysis of safety data in patients with RA at increased risk of CV events from the upadacitinib SELECT phase III RA clinical programme helps to contextualise the overall risk profile of upadacitinib.