Publications

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.

Mease et al. found that bimekizumab demonstrated a favourable long-term safety profile in patients with axSpA and PsA.

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.

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.

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.

Haberman et al. analysed prescribing patterns and characteristics of PsA patients with
multi-b/tsDMARD failure, defined as requiring ≥4 b/tsDMARDs. Among 960 patients at the NYU Psoriatic Arthritis Centre, 17% met this criterion. These patients were more likely to be female, obese, and have higher rates of axial involvement and depression. They also exhibited greater disease activity, suggesting that both inflammatory and non-inflammatory factors contribute to multiple treatment failures.

Kanda et al. investigated the efficacy of second-line b/tsDMARDs in RA patients unresponsive to first-line b/tsDMARDs. Using data from the FIRST registry, the study assessed 687 patients with RA treated with TNFis, IL-6 receptor inhibitors, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 immunoglobulin, or JAKis. After propensity score-based adjustment, JAKi showed the highest persistence rate, greatest improvement in CDAI, and highest remission rates at 24 weeks. Among JAKi, UPA was most effective in achieving remission, with a safety profile comparable to other b/tsDMARDs.

Eberhard et al. investigated the effectiveness of JAKi versus bDMARDs on pain reduction in RA patients, using Swedish national register data. JAKi treatment resulted in a significantly greater reduction in pain at three months compared with TNFis, with a higher proportion achieving low pain at 12 months, particularly in those previously treated with multiple bDMARDs.