The SELECT-MONOTHERAPY study evaluated the safety and efficacy of UPA monotherapy through 260 weeks of treatment, in patients with RA who had prior inadequate response to MTX. No new safety signals were observed with long-term exposure to UPA, and results were consistent with prior findings and the established safety profile of UPA across indications. These data support the potential of UPA as a treatment option for patients with moderate to severe active RA who have responded inadequately to MTX.

May 2025

Phase 2 study data show that zimlovisertib + tofacitinib was more effective than tofacitinib alone, in patients with moderate-to-severe RA and an inadequate response to MTX.

April 2025

The efficacy and safety of tildrakizumab for the treatment of scalp psoriasis are maintained for up to 52 weeks of treatment in a clinical trial setting.

Real-world effectiveness and safety data suggest that deucravacitinib is a valuable long-term treatment option for PsO.

Reinisch W, et al. report that the efficacy of RZB induction therapy is independent of CS use, with high rates of CS-free outcomes observed in the overall population and among patients with baseline CS use.

Kaya et al. reported that switching to secukinumab or cycling to another TNFi after first TNFi failure in axSpA led to comparable drug survival, with predictive factors differing by treatment. The study reports that smoking and Achilles enthesitis were associated with higher SEC discontinuation, while high CRP and primary TNFi failure predicted TNFi discontinuation.

The concept of difficult-to-treat disease in rheumatology: where next?

Lancet Rheumatol. 2025;7:e274–89 doi: 10.1016/S2665-9913(24)00340-0

Nagy et al. propose a unifying and holistic framework for understanding and addressing the concept of difficult-to-treat (D2T) disease across rheumatology, integrating cross-disciplinary evidence and recommending its incorporation into future disease management strategies. The D2T state requires a comprehensive, holistic, multidisciplinary approach that considers the specific characteristics of each disease and the personalised needs of the patient.

Mariette et al. investigated the long-term safety of filgotinib with regard to MACE, VTE and malignancy across RA and UC clinical trial populations. Rates of these events remained low overall, with some increases observed in patients aged 65 years and older.

Di Napoli et al. conducted a global pharmacovigilance analysis comparing MACE between JAKis and anti-TNFα therapies in patients with RA. JAKis were more frequently associated with reported MACE, particularly stroke, and had a shorter median time to onset than
anti-TNFα therapy.

March 2025

Panaccione et al. investigated the association between achievement of endoscopic remission following induction therapy and hospitalisation outcomes in Crohn’s disease. Patients achieving endoscopic remission at Week 12 experienced a 55% reduction in Crohn’s disease-related hospitalisation rates over the 52-week maintenance period. The results support endoscopic remission as an early therapeutic target.