Pfizer to publish rheumatoid arthritis drug data at ACR meeting

Pfizer will present new clinical data for the oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor tofacitinib at the forthcoming annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals.

The company will be showcasing data from Oral Start and Oral Scan, a pair of phase III trials assessing the drug as a treatment for adults with moderate-to-severe active rheumatoid arthritis.

Long-term safety and efficacy data for the investigational compound will also be showcased, including findings pertaining to the therapy's inhibition of structural damage, remission rates, patient-reported outcomes and dosing.

Tofacitinib is currently under review by several international regulatory agencies, including those in the US, Europe and Japan.

If approved, it would be the first JAK inhibitor to be ratified as a rheumatoid arthritis therapy, as well as being the first new oral disease-modifying antirheumatic drug for this condition for more than a decade.

Earlier this week, Pfizer confirmed it will also be attending the European Society for Medical Oncology congress later this month, where it will discuss new clinical data on various lung and kidney cancer treatments.