Rheumatology Drug Updates: Biosiomilar to Adalimumab Receives FDA Approval; plus Updates on Baricitinib, Tofacitinib, Bimekizumab

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FDA Approves Adalimumab-adbm

On Aug. 29, the FDA approved Cyltezo (adalimumab-adbm), a biosimilar to Humira (adalimumab).¹ Cyltezo was approved as a prefilled syringe to treat multiple chronic inflammatory diseases, including moderate to severe active RA, active psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, and moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The treatment has also been approved for moderate to severe polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in patients age four years and older, moderate to severe active adult Crohn’s disease and moderate to severe active ulcerative colitis.

Cyltezo is not yet commercially available, and its maker, Boehringer Ingelheim, is currently engaged in patent litigation with AbbVie, which manufactures Humira.

Baricitinib’s Status

According to Eli Lilly and Co. and Incyte Corp., the makers of baricitinib, the new drug application for baricitinib will be refiled with the FDA before the end of January 2018.² This resubmission will included new safety and efficacy data. Baricitinib is a once-daily oral investigational drug for treating patients with moderate to severe RA.

In April 2017, baricitinib’s potential approval to treat RA in the U.S. stalled when the FDA sent a complete response letter to the previous new drug application. The FDA declined to approve the treatment, citing that additional clinical data were needed to determine the most appropriate doses and the need for additional data to further characterize safety concerns.³ Baricitinib was approved for use in the European Union in February 2017 and in Japan in July 2017.

Additionally, baricitinib is being studied to treat atopic dermatitis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Phase 3 clinical trials for psoriatic arthritis are scheduled to begin in 2018.

Cyltezo was approved as a prefilled syringe to treat multiple chronic inflammatory diseases, including moderate to severe active RA, active psoriatic arthritis & ankylosing spondylitis, & moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

FDA Committee Approves Tofacitinib for PsA

On Aug. 3, the Arthritis Advisory Committee of the FDA voted 10–1 to recommend the approval of the proposed dose of tofacitinib for treating adults with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Supplemental new drug applications for 5 mg tofacitinib taken twice daily and extended-release 11 mg tofacitinib taken once daily are pending for this indication.^4,5

The FDA’s final decision on whether to approve tofacitinib for PsA is anticipated by December 2017.

Bimekizumab Investigational for Psoriasis

Bimekizumab is a monoclonal antibody designed to potently and selectively neutralize both interleukin (IL) 17A and IL-17F cytokines. In the Phase 2b BE ABLE study, the safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of bimekizumab were compared with placebo in adult patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis.⁶