RESEARCH - EULAR 2009: Novel oral JAK-3 inhibitor shows promising safety and efficacy in active RA

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EULAR 2009: Novel Oral JAK-3 Inhibitor Shows Promising Safety and

Efficacy in Active Rheumatoid Arthritis

June 17, 2009 (Copenhagen, Denmark) — The investigational oral JAK-3

inhibitor CP-690550 achieved encouraging responses in patients with

active rheumatoid arthritis, according to an interim analysis of a

randomized double-blind phase 2b dose-ranging study presented here at

EULAR 2009: The Annual European Congress of Rheumatology.

" The study showed dose-dependent increases in efficacy with this novel

agent. Tolerability was also dose-dependent, " said Roy Fleischmann,

MD, clinical professor of medicine at the University of Texas in

Dallas and principal investigator for the Pfizer-supported study. Dr.

Fleischmann said that Pfizer is moving on the phase 3 trials of the

drug.

" If phase 3 data show equivalent or near-equivalent efficacy and

safety, this JAK-3 inhibitor will be poised to be a major player in

rheumatoid arthritis. It is oral and much easier to produce than TNF

[tumor necrosis factor]-alpha inhibitors, so it should be more

convenient to use and cheaper, " Dr. Fleischmann stated during a press

conference at EULAR.

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Read the full article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/704494

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