Publications

Burmester et al. provide insights into the benefit–risk profiles of UPA and adalimumab in patients with varying cardiovascular (CV) risks, suggesting that UPA may offer efficacy advantages over adalimumab irrespective of baseline CV risk, with generally similar rates of AEs. To better understand the benefits and risks of RA treatments in patients with different background CV risk, Burmester et al. assessed the short-term and long-term benefit–risk profiles of UPA and adalimumab in patients enrolled in SELECT-COMPARE.

UPA has shown effectiveness in treating IMIDs like RA, axSpA, PsA, CD, and UC. Chai et al. evaluated evidence from a synthesis of RCTs and provided insights that may guide clinical decision-making and improve treatment outcomes for IMIDs. UPA effectively alleviated symptoms, reduced disease activity, and showed notable benefits in improving quality of life.

Schaefer et al. showed that treatment with JAKis (predominantly BARI and TOF) was associated with an increased HR of malignancies compared to treatment with bDMARDs in the overall study cohort, consistent with results from the ORAL surveillance trial. To better understand the complex role of JAKis in cancer development in RA patients, Schaefer et al. estimated the effects of JAKis compared to bDMARDs on the risk of malignancy (excluding NMSC) in patients with RA.

Wieczorek et al. present the first evidence supporting the use of a dual JAK and ROCK inhibitor as a potential treatment option for patients with RA who have inadequate response to MTX. Wieczorek et al. conducted a randomised, Phase 2 study of CPL’116 in patients with RA with inadequate response to MTX, to evaluate dose-dependent effects on disease control and pharmacokinetics, and its effect on laboratory abnormalities among other safety assessments.

Heiting et al. investigated whether the initiation of IL-17 blockade with secukinumab improves bone turnover, bone mineral density, and microarchitecture in axSpA patients. Despite symptomatic benefits of therapy with secukinumab, with improvements in pain and function, there were few biochemical, densitometric, or microarchitectural changes in skeletal health over two years of treatment with secukinumab. Larger, longer-term controlled studies using sensitive metrics such as HR-pQCT to follow bone quality are needed to improve our understanding of bone health in axSpA and the relation to disease activity and therapy.