Rinvoq (upadacitinib) has been approved by the FDA to treat adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who have had a poor response or intolerance to one or more tumor necrosis factor blockers.
Rinvoq is a selective Janus kinase inhibitor that was discovered and developed by scientists at biopharmaceutical company AbbVie. This marks Rinvoq's first use in gastroenterology, according to a March 16 news release.
After the trials, 57 percent and 68 percent of patients receiving Rinvoq 15 mg or 30 mg, respectively, daily for a year achieved corticosteroid-free remission. This is defined as clinical remission (per modified Mayo Score) and being corticosteroid-free for more than 90 days immediately after a year of treatment in patients who achieved clinical remission at the end of the induction treatment.
"In clinical trials, RINVOQ showed its ability to rapidly control symptoms in just eight weeks for many patients and sustained responses at one year. I believe these types of improvements can make a positive difference for my patients," Maria Abreu, MD, a consultant and adviser for AbbVie, said.