NICE Recommends Pfizer's JAK Inhibitor Xeljanz for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

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The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recently published its final draft guidance, recommending Pfizer's oral JAK inhibitor Xeljanz (tofacitinib) for the treatment of patients aged 2 years and older with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis and juvenile psoriatic arthritis.

Xeljanz is indicated for young patients with arthritis who have had an inadequate response to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and should only be used when: (1) tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors are not appropriate or have not adequately controlled the disease; and (2) Pfizer provides Xeljanz under a commercial arrangement.

Clinical evidence demonstrates that Xeljanz is effective compared with placebo, and indirect comparisons indicate that Xeljanz has similar efficacy to other therapies for the same indication.

Active polyarticular juvenile arthritis and juvenile psoriatic arthritis are two types of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). JIA is an inflammatory joint condition that begins in individuals under the age of 16, and its cause or triggers remain uncertain or unknown. In the UK, approximately 3,000 people are affected by JIA. It is estimated that over 1,000 individuals are eligible for treatment with Xeljanz.

Xeljanz is the second drug to be appraised and recommended through NICE’s new Expedited Low-Risk Fast Track Appraisal. This pilot project evaluates low-risk therapies by utilizing a subcommittee (a subset of the NICE Appraisal Committee) to compare them with similar therapies already assessed by NICE. The subcommittee can then issue recommendations without convening a full committee meeting.

UCB’s novel anti-inflammatory drug, the IL-17A/17F dual inhibitor Bimzelx, is the first medication to be evaluated and recommended through the aforementioned pilot program. Earlier this month, NICE published a final Technology Appraisal Guidance (TAG), recommending Bimzelx for adult patients with severe plaque psoriasis who have had an inadequate response to, are contraindicated for, or cannot tolerate other systemic therapies. This also marks the first health technology assessment outcome for Bimzelx globally.

Source: NICE recommends treatment for people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis