The ContRAst 3 study investigated otilimab, in RA patients with inadequate responses to multiple treatments. Otilimab did not significantly improve ACR20 versus placebo at Weeks 12 or 24. In addition, there we no significant improvements in secondary endpoints, including disease activity, disability, and pain.

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Fleischmann, et al investigated the safety and efficacy of otilimab versus tofacitinib and placebo in RA patients treated with MTX (contRAst 1) or csDMARDs (contRAst 2). They found that while otilimab achieved the primary endpoint of ACR20 versus placebo in Week 12, it did not demonstrate non-inferiority to tofacitinib.

Incidence rates for autoimmune diseases increased between 2000 and 2019 in the UK, notably in coeliac disease, Sjogren's syndrome, and Graves' disease. Pernicious anaemia and Hashimoto's thyroiditis had the greatest decrease in incidence. These disorders affected about 10% of the population, with socioeconomic, seasonal, and regional variations observed.

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September 2023

Differential Properties of Janus Kinase Inhibitors in the Treatment of Immune-mediated Inflammatory Diseases

Rheumatology (Oxford) 2023;63(2):298–308 doi 10.1093/rheumatology/kead448

JAKis differ in structure, which affects their inhibitory concentration for different JAKs.

This review by Taylor, et al. compares the pharmacological profiles of JAKis, including abrocitinib, baricitinib, filgotinib, peficitinib, tofacitinib, and upadacitinib.

August 2023

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

Kristensen, et al. used mediation modelling to show that tofacitinib indirectly improved fatigue symptoms via back pain and morning stiffness. This study was carried out using FACIT-F- and BASDAI Q1-based models to determine the relationship between these variables.

March 2023

Analysis of pooled data from the baricitinib clinical development programmes finds a low incidence rate of MACE, myocardial infarction, lung cancer, VTE, and overall mortality in patients <65 years without risk factors.