Baricitinib halts Joint Damage Progression in RA patients, Finds study

The following results were seen-

a. In patients naïve to DMARDs (RA-BEGIN study), baricitinib 4 mg once daily as monotherapy or combined with methotrexate produced smaller mean changes in structural joint damage than methotrexate monotherapy at week 24.

b. Differences versus methotrexate were statistically significant for combined therapy.

c. In patients responding inadequately to methotrexate (RA-BEAM study), baricitinib 4 mg plus background methotrexate significantly inhibited structural joint damage at week 24 versus placebo, and the results were comparable to those observed with adalimumab plus background methotrexate.

d. In patients responding inadequately to conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs; RA-BUILD study), baricitinib 4 mg again significantly inhibited radiographic progression compared with placebo at week 24.

e. Benefits were also observed with baricitinib 2 mg once daily, but the effects of baricitinib 4 mg were more robust.

f. The positive effects of baricitinib 4 mg on radiographic progression continued over 1 and 2 years in the long-term extension study RA-BEYOND, with similar effects to adalimumab and significantly greater effects than placebo.

Findings from the phase 3 studies of patients with RA were supported by preclinical studies, which showed that baricitinib has an osteoprotective effect, increasing mineralisation in bone-forming cells.

Therefore, the authors concluded that "baricitinib 4 mg once daily inhibits radiographic joint damage progression in patients with moderate-to-severe RA who are naïve to DMARDs or respond inadequately to csDMARDs, including methotrexate, and the beneficial effects are similar to those observed with adalimumab."