Clinical Evaluation of Upadacitinib in the Treatment of Adults with Moderately to Severely Active Ulcerative Colitis (UC): Patient Selection and Reported Outcomes

Abstract

This review addresses appropriate patient selection for upadacitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor approved by the FDA and EMA for treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC). Janus kinase molecules can contribute to the inflammatory pathway, so inhibiting certain of them may prove efficacious in treating UC and may reduce safety concerns. Upadacitinib is the newest Janus kinase inhibitor to be approved for UC, so it is timely and relevant to review patient selection and when to consider this medication. We will discuss efficacy and safety data from the pivotal clinical trials on upadacitinib. These data can be shared with patients and can inform the use of these agents in clinical practice.

Keywords:

• upadacitinib
• ulcerative colitis
• small molecule

Acknowledgments

We thank our scientific writer, Jonathan Feinberg, PhD for reviewing this manuscript. 

Disclosure

Bincy P Abraham has received research support from Takeda and consulting/honoraria from Abbvie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Fresenius Kabi, Lilly, Janssen, Pfizer, Samsung Bioepis, and Takeda. Kerri Glassner is a consultant for Lilly. Malcolm Irani and Christopher Fan have no conflicts of interest to report for this work.  

Additional information

Funding

No financial support or sponsorship was used for this review.