Risk Factors for Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Phase III and Long-Term Extension Studies of Tofacitinib in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Tofacitinib is an oral JAK inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study was undertaken to evaluate the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with RA receiving tofacitinib. METHODS: Data were pooled from patients with moderately to severely active RA receiving ≥1 tofacitinib dose in 6 phase III and 2 long-term extension studies over 7 years. MACE (myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular death) were independently adjudicated. Cox regression models were used to evaluate associations between baseline variables and time to first MACE. Following 24 weeks of tofacitinib, changes in variables and time to future MACE were evaluated after adjusment for age, baseline values, and time-varying tofacitinib dose. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: Fifty-two MACE occurred in 4,076 patients over 12,873 patient-years of exposure (incidence rate 0.4 patients with events per 100 patient-years). In univariable analyses of baseline variables, traditional cardiovascular risk factors and glucocorticoid and statin use were associated with MACE risk; disease activity and inflammation measures were not. In subsequent multivariable analyses, baseline age, hypertension, and the total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio remained significantly associated with risk of MACE. After 24 weeks of treatment, an increase in HDL cholesterol and a decrease in the total to HDL cholesterol were associated with decreased MACE risk; changes in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and disease activity measures were not. Increased erythrocyte sedimentation rates trended with increased future MACE risk. CONCLUSION: In this post hoc analysis, after 24 weeks of tofacitinib treatment, increased HDL cholesterol, but not increased LDL cholesterol or total cholesterol, appeared to be associated with lower future MACE risk. Further data are needed to test the cardiovascular safety of tofacitinib.

Lymphoma in the Tofacitinib Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Development Program.

OBJECTIVE: Tofacitinib is an oral JAK inhibitor indicated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We characterized lymphoma events in the tofacitinib RA clinical development program. METHODS: Lymphoma events (up to March 2015) were identified from 19 tofacitinib studies (2 phase I, 9 phase II, 6 phase III, and 2 long-term extension) of patients with moderate to severe RA. Patients in these studies received tofacitinib dosed at 1-30 mg twice daily or 20 mg once daily, as monotherapy or with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Lymphoma incidence rates (IRs; number of patients with events/100 patient-years) and standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated. A descriptive case-matched control analysis (1:4) was performed to identify potential risk factors for lymphoma. RESULTS: A total of 6,194 patients received tofacitinib (19,406 patient-years of exposure, 3.4 years median treatment duration). Nineteen lymphomas occurred (IR 0.10 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.06-0.15]), with no increase observed with time of exposure. The age- and sex-adjusted SIR of lymphoma was 2.62 (95% CI 1.58-4.09) (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results [SEER] program database). The clinical characteristics of the 19 lymphomas were typical for the RA population. Three lymphomas were positive for Epstein-Barr virus, 8 were negative, 2 were equivocal, and 6 were untested. Numerically, more lymphoma cases had a history of Sjögren's syndrome and were positive for anti-cyclic citrullinated protein and rheumatoid factor at baseline versus matched controls. The mean corticosteroid dose was higher for lymphoma cases versus controls. CONCLUSION: In the tofacitinib RA clinical development program, lymphoma rates were stable over time and there were minimal differences in the baseline characteristics of patients with and without lymphoma.

Changes in serum creatinine in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis treated with tofacitinib: results from clinical trials.

INTRODUCTION: Small increases in mean serum creatinine (SCr) were observed in studies of rheumatoid arthritis patients during tofacitinib treatment. These SCr changes were investigated and potential mechanisms explored. METHODS: SCr values and renal adverse event data were pooled from five Phase 3 and two long-term extension (LTE) studies. Dose-response relationships and association with inflammation (C-reactive protein (CRP)) were explored using Phase 2 data and confirmed with Phase 3 data. RESULTS: In Phase 3, least squares mean SCr differences from placebo at Month 3 were 0.02 and 0.04 mg/dl for tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg twice daily (BID) (P <0.05), respectively. During Months 0 to 3, confirmed SCr ≥33% increases over baseline were reported in 17 (1.4%; 5 mg BID) and 23 (1.9%; 10 mg BID) patients. Generally, elevations plateaued and remained within normal limits throughout Phase 3 and LTE studies. Exposure-response modeling demonstrated small, reversible effects of tofacitinib on mean SCr, and significant (P <0.05) effects of CRP on model parameters. Phase 3 data confirmed that patients with higher baseline CRP or greater CRP decreases following tofacitinib treatment had the largest increases in SCr. Across Phase 3 and LTE studies, 22 tofacitinib-treated patients had clinical acute renal failure (ARF), predominantly in the setting of concurrent serious illness. CONCLUSIONS: Tofacitinib treatment was associated with small, reversible mean increases in SCr that plateaued early. The mechanism behind these SCr changes remains unknown, but may involve effects of tofacitinib on inflammation. ARF occurred infrequently, was associated with concurrent serious illness, and was unrelated to prior SCr increases.