Publications

Bakay et al. report  that upadacitinib (UPA) demonstrated sustained efficacy across musculoskeletal and skin domains in PsA patients with prior inadequate response to TNF inhibitors, with a safety profile consistent with previous reports.  Authors conducted a retrospective, single-centre observational study evaluating musculoskeletal disease activity, psoriasis, and patient-reported outcomes following initiation of UPA.

Kameda et al. reported that UPA treatment sustained efficacy with no new safety signals identified through 5 years of treatment and is a long-term treatment option for Japanese patients with RA and an inadequate response to csDMARDs. Authors present the full 5-year efficacy and safety data for upadacitinib obtained in the SELECT-SUNRISE study.

Diamanti et al. showed that after 12 months of UPA treatment, a substantial proportion of RA patients achieved combined clinical and US remission, independent of prior bDMARD use or monotherapy. In the preliminary data from the UPARAREMUS study, authors reported efficacy of UPA in achieving both clinical and US remission up to 24 weeks in 60 RA patients.

Hernández-Hernández et al. showed that in a real-world clinical settings, UPA persistence is lower among RA patients who have received prior IL-6i treatment; and that treatment strategies to avoid UPA in patients with cardiovascular risk (CVR) appear to be primarily driven by pivotal safety studies rather than regulatory guidance.

Wang et al. validated the effectiveness and safety of UPA in this real-world study of Chinese PsA patients. UPA demonstrated comparable effectiveness to secukinumab (SEC) in psoriatic lesion improvement while showing comparable joint symptom relief compared with adalimumab (ADA), coupled with a favourable safety profile.

Most patients vaccinated with RZV while using UPA 15mg QD and background MTX achieved satisfactory humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) at Weeks 4, 16 and 60. Winthrop et al. evaluated the immunogenicity of RZV through Week 60 in patients with RA who were receiving UPA 15mg QD and background MTX.

Baraliakos et al. compared real-world effectiveness of upadacitinib, TNF inhibitors, or IL-17 inhibitors following inadequate response to an initial TNF inhibitor in patients with axSpA. Upadacitinib was associated with greater reductions in pain and fewer affected joints compared with switching to a second TNF inhibitor or IL-17 inhibitor.

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.