Efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in Chinese patients with active psoriatic arthritis: a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Risk of serious infection with JAK inhibitors in immune-mediated inflammatory skin diseases: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

BACKGROUND

Emerging research suggests that Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) inhibitors may be associated with a higher risk of serious infection for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. However, there is no consensus on whether JAK inhibitors increase the risk of serious infection in patients with Immune-mediated inflammatory skin diseases (IMISDs).

OBJECTIVES

To ascertain the correlation between JAK inhibitor use and the risk of serious infection in patients with IMISDs.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and registered Clinical Trials were searched up to June 1, 2024, using specific search terms related to JAK inhibitors and IMISDs. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing JAK inhibitors with a control group in patients with IMISDs were included. Studies focusing on cohort studies, case reports, case series, review articles, pooled analysis studies, post hoc analyses and topical JAK inhibitors were excluded. Data were extracted independently by two authors, focusing on serious infections defined according to each study's criteria. Crude numbers for serious infections were pooled and underwent meta-analysis. We assessed the primary outcome regarding the occurrence of severe infections for each study.

RESULTS

Thirty-two randomized clinical trials involving 11,917 patients were included. Serious infections were reported in 0.62% of patients receiving JAK inhibitors and 0.51% of controls. Meta-analysis found no significant increase in risk of serious infection (I2=0.00%, RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.43-1.07). Subgroup analyses revealed no significant heterogeneity based on condition (p = .56) or medication (p = .69).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis demonstrates that JAK inhibitors do not significantly increase the risk of serious infections in IMISD patients compared to control treatments. These findings support the safety of JAK inhibitors in this population. Future research should focus on real-world evidence to further assess their risk-benefit profile in dermatological practice.

Janus kinase inhibitors for psoriatic arthritis: Evidence from a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) constitutes a heterogeneous disease. Diagnosis is commonly made by identifying joint inflammation, dactylitis, enthesitis, or axial spine involvement in cutaneous or nail psoriasis. Janus kinases (JAKs) are intracellular kinases that mediate cytokine signaling. The present network meta-analysis aimed to provide a comprehensive summary regarding the use of JAK inhibitors (JAKis) in PsA. We systematically searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Web of Science databases, and the clinicaltrials.gov registry until October 2023 and included randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Examined outcomes consisted of the proportion of participants achieving ACR20, ACR50, ACR70, PASI75, resolution of enthesitis, resolution of dactylitis, and experiencing serious adverse events (SAEs). Changes in the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) from the baseline were also recorded. The revised Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool determined the risk of bias. Networks were constructed, and random-effects frequentist analyses were employed utilizing the placebo arms from each study. Most JAKis were superior to placebo for all examined outcomes. Statistical advantages of one JAKi over another were recorded, and all concerned upadacitinib. However, the safety profile of upadacitinib did not differ significantly from that of other JAKis. Our network meta-analysis is the first to concentrate on comparable, current outcome data of JAKis in PsA on clinical efficacy. It reveals statistically significant variations in the advantages and disadvantages among JAKis in PsA, which require further meticulous assessment.

Janus kinase inhibitors and the risk of infections: a network meta-analysis across disease indications

INTRODUCTION

To compare the risks of serious infections, herpes zoster (HZ), and opportunistic infections associated with Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors versus placebo, tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors (TNFi), methotrexate (MTX), and among different JAK inhibitors.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases from their inception until 23 January 2024. Network meta-analysis estimated odds ratios for infections using restricted maximum likelihood models.

RESULTS

Eighty randomized controlled trials were included with 40,460 patients. Part of JAK inhibitors including tofacitinib (5 mg [2.01; 95%CI, 1.25-3.23], 10 mg [1.84; 95%CI, 1.06-3.17]), baricitinib (4 mg [1.57; 95%CI, 1.05-2.35]), and upadacitinib (15 mg [1.55; 95%CI, 1.06-2.27], 30 mg [1.94; 95%CI, 1.26-2.98]), exhibited a significantly different risk of serious infections compared to placebo. Similarly, tofacitinib (10 mg), baricitinib (4 mg), upadacitinib (15 mg, 30 mg), abrocitinib (200 mg), and peficitinib (100 mg) showed a significantly different risk of HZ infection compared to placebo. Most JAK inhibitors didn't raise opportunistic infections risks vs. TNFi and MTX, and risks among JAK inhibitors weren't statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Attention should be paid to JAK inhibitor's types, dosages, and it is important to be aware of the risk of serious infections and HZ infections. Future long-term studies should be conducted.

PROSPERO

CRD42024523067.

Macrophage polarization in cancer and beyond: from inflammatory signaling pathways to potential therapeutic strategies

Macrophages are innate immune cells distributed throughout the body that play vital roles in organ development, tissue homeostasis, and immune surveillance. Macrophages acquire a binary M1/M2 polarized phenotype through signaling cascades upon sensing different signaling molecules in the environment, thereby playing a core role in a series of immune tasks, rendering precise regulation essential. M1/M2 macrophage phenotypes regulate inflammatory responses, while controlled activation of inflammatory signaling pathways is involved in regulating macrophage polarization. Among the relevant signaling pathways, we focus on the six well-characterized NF-κB, MAPK, JAK-STAT, PI3K/AKT, inflammasome, and cGAS-STING inflammatory pathways, and elucidate their roles and crosstalk in macrophage polarization. Furthermore, the effects of many environmental signals that influence macrophage polarization are investigated by modulating these pathways in vivo and in vitro. We thus detail the physiological and pathophysiological status of these six inflammatory signaling pathways and involvement in regulating macrophage polarization in cancer and beyond, as well as describe potential therapeutic approaches targeting these signaling pathways. In this review, the latest research advances in inflammatory signaling pathways regulating macrophage polarization are reviewed, as targeting these inflammatory signaling pathways provides suitable strategies to intervene in macrophage polarization and various tumor and non-tumor diseases.

Efficacy of Janus kinase inhibitors in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases a systematic literature review informing the 2024 update of an international consensus statement

OBJECTIVE

This systematic literature review (SLR) on efficacy outcomes was performed to inform the 2024 update of the expert consensus statement on the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) with Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi).

METHODS

An update of the 2019 SLR was performed in MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. For efficacy, randomised, placebo (PLC)- or active-controlled trials on all JAKi investigated in IMIDs, as well as cohort and claims data for conditions where such studies were not available, were included.

RESULTS

In total, 10,556 records were screened, and 182 articles were included in the final analysis, investigating 21 JAKi in 51 IMIDs. Forty-three phase 2 and 59 phase 3 trials as well as 9 strategic trials and 72 pilot or cohort studies and case series were considered. JAKi demonstrated efficacy both in PLC-controlled trials as well as in head-to-head comparisons against active comparators, with 93 of 102 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) meeting their primary endpoints. Since 2019, 8 JAKi have received approval by the Federal Drug Agency and the European Medicine Agency for treatment of 11 IMIDs; of these, for 2, no approved disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy had previously been available.

CONCLUSIONS

JAKi are effective for treating IMIDs, and various compounds have recently been approved. The impact of Janus kinase (JAK) selectivity for distinct JAK-STAT pathways needs further investigation, and few data are also available on sustained disease control upon tapering or withdrawal or on the optimal strategic placement of JAKi in international treatment algorithms.

Risk of infections during treatment with oral Janus kinase inhibitors in randomized placebo-controlled trials: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors block pathways involved in inflammation and immune response, making JAK inhibitors useful in the treatment of various diseases. While the efficacy of these drugs has been proven in several studies, their safety profile needs to be further investigated. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we examined the risk of infections during treatment with oral JAK inhibitors with no concomitant treatment compared to placebo in phase 2 and 3 randomized, placebo-controlled trials. The medical databases PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE were searched from inception through February 2024, yielding 13,567 nonduplicate articles, of which 69 were included in the final quantitative analysis. Overall, we found that treatment with oral JAK inhibitors was associated with an increased risk of infections compared to placebo across all indications (relative risk: 1.39 [95% CI: 1.096-1.76, P = .0067]) and in dermatologic indications (relative risk: 1.46 [95% CI, 1.10-1.93, P = .0097]). Remarkably, an increased risk of herpes zoster infections was found in dermatologic indications but not in nondermatologic indications. In conclusion, we identified a significantly increased risk of developing infections during treatment with oral JAK inhibitors compared to placebo across indications. In sub-analyses, we additionally found an increased risk of herpes zoster in dermatologic indications.

Long-term tofacitinib efficacy and safety in psoriatic arthritis with or without prior biologic DMARD exposure: a post hoc analysis

Objective

To assess long-term tofacitinib efficacy and safety in patients with PsA with or without prior biologic DMARD (bDMARD) exposure.

Methods

Data were pooled post hoc from three phase 3 and one long-term extension (LTE) PsA studies and stratified by TNF inhibitor-inadequate responder (TNFi-IR) or bDMARD-naïve patient status at the phase 3 study baseline. Data were reported as all tofacitinib (patients receiving one or more tofacitinib doses) or average tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg twice daily (patients receiving an average total daily dose <15 and ≥15 mg, respectively). Drug survival to month 51, efficacy to month 42 and safety were assessed descriptively.

Results

A total of 408 TNFi-IR patients (including 29 TNFi-experienced with unknown IR status) and 562 bDMARD-naïve patients were included. At baseline, TNFi-IR patients were more likely to be ≥65 years old, have cardiovascular/venous thromboembolism risk and have longer disease duration vs bDMARD-naïve patients. Drug survival was numerically shorter in TNFi-IR vs bDMARD-naïve patients. Tofacitinib efficacy was generally sustained to month 42, regardless of prior bDMARD treatment. Minimal disease activity/ PsA Disease Activity Score ≤3.2/>75% Psoriasis Area and Severity Index improvement response rates were numerically lower in TNFi-IR vs bDMARD-naïve patients to month 42, but rates of achieving an HAQ Disability Index ≤0.5 and enthesitis/dactylitis resolution were similar. In TNFi-IR vs bDMARD-naïve patients, treatment-emergent adverse event incidence rates were higher and serious adverse event, serious infection and herpes zoster incidence rates were numerically higher (CI overlapped).

Conclusion

These findings support long-term tofacitinib efficacy and safety in TNFi-IR and bDMARD-naïve patients. However, the benefit-risk profile appeared more favourable in bDMARD-naïve patients, likely due to differences in baseline characteristics and risk factors between subgroups.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01877668, NCT01882439, NCT03486457, NCT01976364.

Efficacy and Safety of Tofacitinib in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis or Ankylosing Spondylitis by Cigarette Smoking Status

INTRODUCTION

Routine care studies of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) demonstrated attenuated responses to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in current/past versus never smokers. This post hoc analysis assessed tofacitinib efficacy and safety in patients with PsA or AS by cigarette smoking status at trial screening.

METHODS

Pooled data from phase 3 and long-term extension (safety only) PsA trials and phase 2 and 3 AS trials were assessed by current/past versus never smoker status. Analysis included efficacy and safety data for tofacitinib 5 (PsA/AS) and 10 (PsA only) mg twice daily (BID) or placebo, and safety data in AS for tofacitinib 2 and 10 mg BID. Efficacy outcomes included American College of Rheumatology ≥ 50% responses (ACR50) and minimal disease activity (MDA) responses to month (M)6/M3 (tofacitinib/placebo) in PsA; and ≥ 40% improvement in Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society responses (ASAS40) and AS Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) < 2.1 responses to week (W)16 in AS. Safety was assessed to M48/W48 (PsA/AS), adjusted for treatment/smoking status/median body mass index (BMI) status/sex/trial/treatment-smoking status interaction.

RESULTS

PsA/AS cohorts included 342/178 current/past and 572/194 never smokers. Tofacitinib efficacy was generally greater versus placebo to M3/W6 (PsA/AS), and comparable in current/past and never smokers to M6/W16 (PsA/AS). In patients receiving ≥ 1 tofacitinib dose, adjusted treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE)/serious AE (SAE)/discontinuation due to AE incidence rates (IRs) to M48 in PsA were higher in current/past versus never smokers; adjusted IRs to W48 in AS were higher in current/past versus never smokers for TEAEs, but similar for SAEs/discontinuation due to AEs.

CONCLUSIONS

In both patients with PsA and AS, tofacitinib efficacy was greater versus placebo, and comparable across smoking categories. Adjusted IRs were higher in current/past versus never smokers for TEAEs, SAEs, discontinuation due to AEs in PsA, and for TEAEs in AS, complementing reports of associations between smoking and comorbidities in spondyloarthritis. Findings support increased surveillance/caution for patients with PsA or AS with smoking history.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01877668/NCT01882439/NCT03486457/NCT01976364/NCT01786668/NCT03502616.

Infections in psoriatic arthritis: association with treatment

Serious infections (SIs) remain one of the most significant comorbidities in patients with inflammatory arthritides including psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Apart from methotrexate (MTX) and biologics such as tumor necrosis factor (TNFi), interleukin-12/23 (IL-12/23i), and IL-17 inhibitors (IL-17i), traditionally used for the treatment of PsA, recently biologics such as IL-23i and targeted synthetic agents like JAK inhibitors (JAKi) have been introduced in the daily clinical practice for the treatment of this disease. Although overall the incidence of SIs in patients with PsA treated with these agents is lower compared to patients with rheumatoid arthritis, still a number of unresolved issues regarding their safety remain. Current evidence is reassuring regarding the safety profile of conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, such as MTX. The increased risk for reactivation of latent infections, such as tuberculosis and hepatitis B virus (HBV) with the use of TNFi, is well described; nevertheless, it is significantly ameliorated with the appropriate screening and prophylaxis. Regarding IL-12/23i and IL-17i, there are no significant safety signals, except from an increased incidence of usually mild Candida infections with the latter class. Newer biologics such as IL-23i and targeted synthetic agents like JAKi have been recently introduced in the daily clinical practice for the treatment of this disease. While IL-23i has not been shown to increase the risk for common or opportunistic infections, a well-established association of JAKi with herpes zoster warrants the attention of rheumatologists. In this narrative review, we summarize the infectious complications of available treatment options by drug class in patients with PsA.

Efficacy and safety of tofacitinib for chronic plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVES

To summarize and analyze the results of published randomized controlled trials of tofacitinib for the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis(PsA) and discuss its efficacy and safety.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

An exhaustive systematic search encompassing PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science databases was conducted up to July 2023. Studies eligible for inclusion were analyzed, organized using Review Manager version 5.4.1 (Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, UK) and STATA 15.0 version (Stata Corp, College Station, TX, USA) software.

RESULTS

A total of six articles, covering 1393 patients (844 treated with tofacitinib and 549 with placebo), were included. The foundational characteristics of tofacitinib and placebo group showed similarity, except for age and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score, especially in the context of chronic plaque psoriasis. It is noteworthy that we discovered tofacitinib exhibited a significant impact on Psoriasis Area and Severity Index 75 (PASI75) response, Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) response, and adverse events (AEs) in cases of chronic plaque psoriasis. Similarly, tofacitinib demonstrated substantial influence on American College of Rheumatology 20/50 (ACR20/50) response, PASI75 response, as well as alterations in Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) Score, Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) Score, Dactylitis Severity Score (DSS), and Leeds Enthesitis Index (LEI) Score in the context of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Nevertheless, there was no statistically significant impact of tofacitinib on serious adverse events (SAEs) in chronic plaque psoriasis, as well as on both adverse events (AEs) and SAEs in psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

CONCLUSIONS

A comprehensive analysis revealed that tofacitinib has a positive effect on addressing skin and joint symptoms, as well as improving the quality of life for patients with chronic plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). However, the safety of the drug's long-term usage even requires further validation. Key Points • In 6 analyses involving a total of 1393 patients, tofacitinib exhibits positive effect on the treatment of both chronic plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). • Although dose-based subgroup analyses have demonstrated effectiveness. Some studies indicate that the 5-mg dose (twice daily) may not show an effect due to the failure of non-inferiority trials comparing tofacitinib with placebo. Therefore, caution is required when interpreting its effectiveness. On the other hand, the 10-mg dose (BID) has been associated with an increase in adverse events and serious adverse events, and is recommended to be used with caution in patients with cardiovascular or uveitis risk factors. • Tofacitinib has efficacy in comorbid psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety, or Alzheimer's disease) and inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis), but patients with comorbid renal insufficiency, hepatic dysfunction, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, or uveitis may need to be moderated or avoided with tofacitinib.

Inhibition of the JAK-STAT Pathway in the Treatment of Psoriasis: A Review of the Literature

Psoriasis is a highly prevalent dermatological disease associated with an increased systemic inflammatory response. In addition, joint involvement is also present in around 20% of patients. Therefore, treatment modalities used in this condition should be simultaneously effective at improving skin manifestations, reducing inflammation, and addressing psoriatic arthritis when present. Twenty years ago, the introduction of biologic treatments for psoriasis was a turning point in the management of this condition, offering an effective and reasonably safe option for patients whose disease could not be adequately controlled with conventional therapies. At the moment, Janus Kinase inhibitors (JAKis) are a new class of promising molecules in the management of psoriasis. They are orally administered and can show benefits in patients who failed biologic therapy. We conducted a scoping review in order to identify randomized-controlled trials that investigated different JAKis in patients with plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, with an emphasis on molecules that have been approved by the European Medicines Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. The added value of this study is that it collected information about JAKis approved for two different indications, plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, in order to provide an integrated understanding of the range of effects that JAKis have on the whole spectrum of psoriasis manifestations.

The Effect of JAK Inhibitors on Patient-Reported Outcomes in Psoriatic Arthritis

Objective

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the joints and skin of patients with psoriasis. In this review we aimed to summarise the available evidence regarding the effect of Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) when used for the management of PsA.

Methods

We utilised a narrative review approach as we searched the available literature for articles to be included in our study.

Results

JAKi have been found to be effective in inducing better PRO responses compared to placebo. These findings have been consistent across various patient populations, including those with active PsA, those with an inadequate response to conventional therapies, and those with comorbidities. The evidence supporting the benefits of JAKi on PROs in PsA is compelling, demonstrating consistent improvements in pain, physical function, fatigue, and quality of life.

Conclusion

Numerous studies have demonstrated the the efficacy of JAKi in improving PROs in patients with PsA.

Multicenter evaluation of tofacitinib retention and safety in rheumatoid arthritis - why cardiovascular risk factors do not equate to overt risk

Introduction

This multicenter, real-world, retrospective cohort study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of tofacitinib (TOFA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Material and methods

Two hundred nine patients with active RA treated with TOFA, unresponsive to at least 2 conventional synthetic disease-modifying drugs, were recruited. Clinical characteristics were extracted from an electronic registry and supplemented with manual chart review and data linkage with ambulatory care. Drug retention and reasons for discontinuation were evaluated.

Results

Median (interquartile range) follow-up in the whole sample was 16.9 (5.93-31.7) months. Mean (standard deviation) age was 51.44 (±11.84) years, with female predominance (n = 168, 80.4%). Only 30 patients (14.4%) had no pre-existing traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factor at TOFA initiation. Tofacitinib retention rates were high, with median survival estimated at 89.3% at 6 months, 82.4% at 12 months, and 60.4% at 24 months. Ineffectiveness was the primary cause of discontinuation (n = 50). The rate of adverse events (AEs) was relatively low, with lipid abnormalities, blood count alterations, and infectious events among the most common. No major adverse CV event was reported. The incidence rate of AEs necessitating treatment switch was 60.34 (95% CI: 37-92) per 1,000 person-years of follow-up. Presence of multiple (> 3) CV risk factors was associated with lower odds of TOFA retention and treatment effectiveness.

Conclusions

Tofacitinib demonstrated high retention rates and a favorable safety profile in RA patients, including those with traditional CV risk factors. Tofacitinib may be a valuable treatment option for RA patients when combined with individualized CV risk management. Further studies are warranted to explore the long-term effects of TOFA and its CV impact in larger populations.

Cardiovascular and Venous Thromboembolic Risk With JAK Inhibitors in Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Skin Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Importance

Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are an effective treatment option for patients with certain skin-related conditions, such as atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, and vitiligo, but there is a current US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) boxed warning label for oral and topical JAK inhibitors regarding increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), venous thromboembolism (VTE), serious infections, malignant neoplasm, and death. However, this boxed warning was precipitated by results of the Oral Rheumatoid Arthritis Trial (ORAL) Surveillance study, which only included patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and the same association may not be observed in dermatologic conditions.

Objective

To determine the risk of all-cause mortality, MACE, and VTE with JAK inhibitors in patients with dermatologic conditions.

Data Sources

PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from database inception to April 1, 2023.

Study Selection

This review included phase 3 randomized clinical trials with a placebo/active comparator group of JAK inhibitors used for a dermatologic indication with FDA approval or pending approval or with European Union or Japanese approval. Studies without a comparison group, case reports, observational studies, and review articles were excluded.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

This study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Adverse events using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were calculated using a random-effects model and the DerSimonian-Laird method. Studies were screened, data abstracted, and quality assessed by 2 independent authors. The protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Primary outcomes were a composite of adjudicated MACE and all-cause mortality, and VTE.

Results

The analysis included 35 randomized clinical trials with 20 651 patients (mean [SD] age, 38.5 [10.1] years; male, 54%) and a mean (SD) follow-up time of 4.9 (2.68) months. Findings did not show a significant difference between JAK inhibitors and placebo/active comparator in composite MACE and all-cause mortality (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.44-1.57) or VTE (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.26-1.04).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, use of JAK inhibitors was not associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, MACE, and VTE compared to the placebo/active comparator groups. Additional trials with long-term follow-up are needed to better understand the safety risks of JAK inhibitors used for dermatologic indications.

Post-Marketing Safety Surveillance of Tofacitinib over 9 Years in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis

INTRODUCTION

The safety of tofacitinib in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been demonstrated in clinical studies of ≤ 4 and 9.5 years, respectively. Post-marketing surveillance (PMS) data for tofacitinib from spontaneous and voluntary adverse event (AE) reports have been published for RA, but not PsA. To inform the real-world safety profile of tofacitinib in PsA, we evaluated AE reports submitted to the Pfizer safety database (including RA data for context).

METHODS

Endpoints included AEs, serious AEs (SAEs), AEs of special interest (AESIs; serious infections, herpes zoster, cardiovascular events, malignancies, venous thromboembolism), and fatal cases. Exposure was estimated using IQVIA global commercial sales data. Number, frequency, and reporting rates (RRs; number of events/100 patient-years' [PY] exposure) were summarized by indication and formulation (immediate release [IR] 5 or 10 mg twice daily], modified release [MR] 11 mg once daily, or all tofacitinib). The data-collection period differed by indication (PsA: 14 December 2017 [US approval, IR/MR] to 6 November 2021; RA: 6 November 2012 [US approval, IR] to 6 November 2021; MR approval, 24 February 2016).

RESULTS

A total of 73,525 case reports were reviewed (PsA = 5394/RA = 68,131), with 20,706/439,370 PY (PsA/RA) of exposure. More AEs were reported for IR versus MR (IR/MR: PsA = 8349/7602; RA = 137,476/82,153). RRs for AEs (IR/MR: PsA = 59.6/113.4; RA = 44.0/64.8) and SAEs (PsA = 8.1/13.6; RA = 8.0/9.5) were higher with MR versus IR. AE RRs (RA) in the first 4 years after IR approval were 95.9 (IR; 49,439 PY) and 147.0 (MR; 2000 PY). Frequency of SAEs, AESIs, and fatal cases was mostly similar across formulations and indications. The most frequently-reported AE Preferred Terms (PsA/RA) included drug ineffective (20.0%/17.8%), pain (9.7%/10.6%), condition aggravated (9.9%/10.5%), headache (8.8%/7.9%) and, for PsA, off-label use (10.5%/3.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

Tofacitinib PMS safety data from submitted AE reports were consistent between PsA and RA, and aligned with its known safety profile. Exposure data (lower MR versus IR; estimation from commercial sales data), reporting bias, reporter identity, and regional differences in formulation use limit interpretation.

Risk of herpes zoster associated with JAK inhibitors in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Objective: Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are a novel class of drugs that have shown efficacy in treating immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). However, their safety profile in terms of herpes zoster infection remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the risk of herpes zoster associated with JAK inhibitors in patients with IMIDs. Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the safety of JAK inhibitors in patients with IMIDs including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA), psoriasis (PsO), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The primary outcome of interest was the incidence of herpes zoster infection. Network meta-analysis was performed to compare the risk of herpes zoster among different JAK inhibitors and placebo. Results: A network meta-analysis was conducted using data from 47 RCTs including 24,142 patients. In patients with IMIDs, peficitinib 100 mg QD was associated with the highest risk of herpes zoster infection in patients with IMIDs, followed by baricitinib 4 mg QD and upadacitinib 30 mg QD. No difference in herpes zoster risk was found for other JAK inhibitors compared with placebo. Subgroup analysis indicated that higher incidence of herpes zoster was found in patients treated by baricitinib 4 mg QD, peficitinib 100 mg QD, and upadacitinib 30 mg QD only in patients with RA. Conclusion: Our study suggests that some JAK inhibitors, particularly peficitinib, baricitinib, and tofacitinib, are associated with a higher risk of herpes zoster infection in patients with IMIDs.