This review summarises important pharmacological and clinical characteristics of the orally-administered,
small-molecule, JAK inhibitor baricitinib (Olumiant®) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Baricitinib
has been approved in Australia for the treatment of moderate-to-severe active RA in adult patients who
have responded inadequately, or who are intolerant, to one or more disease modifying anti-rheumatic
drugs (DMARDs).1 In the 52-week RA-BEAM study in patients with RA who had an inadequate response to
methotrexate, baricitinib was associated with significant clinical improvements compared with placebo and
adalimumab. Baricitinib may be administered orally as monotherapy or in combination with conventional
DMARDs.
Independent commentary by Associate Professor Andrew Östör, Consultant Rheumatologist at Cabrini Medical Centre and Researcher at Emeritus Research, Melbourne, Australia and Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
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