JAK Inhibitor Switch: UC Relief
- A recent study indicates that switching to a second Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor can lead to steroid-free clinical remission for roughly half of patients battling active ulcerative colitis...
- The retrospective study, published in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, involved 169 patients with moderate to severe UC.
- Researchers assessed steroid-free clinical remission, defined by a partial Mayo score of ≤ 2, without any subscore exceeding 1, within 8 to 14 weeks of starting the second...
Switching JAK inhibitors may offer new hope for ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. A pivotal study reveals nearly half of patients achieve steroid-free remission when changing to a second-line JAK inhibitor, with upadacitinib demonstrating superior efficacy. This groundbreaking research, conducted across 28 centers in Belgium and France, followed 169 patients who had previously failed on other JAK inhibitors.The findings,published in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics,highlight the potential of upadacitinib over filgotinib as a treatment. While adverse events occurred in about 24% of patients, the study underscores the promise of this treatment approach. News Directory 3 is following the progress of this and other studies. Discover what’s next for UC treatments
Upadacitinib Shows Promise in Ulcerative Colitis Treatment Role
A recent study indicates that switching to a second Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor can lead to steroid-free clinical remission for roughly half of patients battling active ulcerative colitis (UC). The research,conducted across 28 centers in Belgium and France,suggests upadacitinib is more effective than filgotinib as a second-line treatment.
The retrospective study, published in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, involved 169 patients with moderate to severe UC. All participants had previously experienced failure or intolerance to another JAK inhibitor,such as tofacitinib,filgotinib,or upadacitinib. The median age of participants was 34.6 years, and 38% were women.
Researchers assessed steroid-free clinical remission, defined by a partial Mayo score of ≤ 2, without any subscore exceeding 1, within 8 to 14 weeks of starting the second JAK inhibitor. The median follow-up was 96 days.
Of the patients,105 received upadacitinib,54 received filgotinib,and 10 received tofacitinib as their second-line treatment. After six months,treatment persistence was highest for upadacitinib (72.8%), followed by tofacitinib (66.7%) and filgotinib (57.2%).
The study found that 47.9% of patients achieved steroid-free clinical remission within the 8- to 14-week timeframe.Upadacitinib was independently associated with higher odds of remission compared to filgotinib. Factors such as baseline steroid use and ileorectal anastomosis were also linked to remission.
Adverse events were reported in 24.3% of patients, with infections and skin lesions being the most common. Nine patients experienced severe adverse events requiring hospitalization or treatment discontinuation. No deaths,cancers,or major cardiovascular events occurred.
What’s next
Further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods is needed to fully understand the long-term efficacy and safety of switching between JAK inhibitors for ulcerative colitis treatment. Mathilde Osty, of Hôpital Henri Mondor, APHP, Créteil, France, led the study.