Integrated safety analysis of filgotinib in patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis over a treatment duration of up to 8.3 years

Ann Rheum Dis. 2024 Aug 27;83(9):1110-1117. doi: 10.1136/ard-2024-225759.

Abstract

Objectives: To update the long-term safety profile of filgotinib, a Janus kinase-1 preferential inhibitor, in patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: Data from seven trials were integrated (NCT01888874, NCT01894516, NCT02889796, NCT02873936, NCT02886728, NCT02065700 and NCT03025308). Patients received once-daily filgotinib 100 mg or 200 mg. Exposure-adjusted incidence rates (EAIRs)/100 patient-years of exposure (PYE) were calculated for treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Post hoc analyses assessed patients aged <65 and ≥65 years.

Results: Patients (N=3691) received filgotinib for a median (maximum) of 3.8 (8.3) years (12 541 PYE). Rates of TEAEs of interest: serious infections, malignancies, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and venous thromboembolism were stable over time and comparable between doses. In the overall population, numerically lower EAIR (95% CI)/100 PYE of herpes zoster was observed for filgotinib 100 mg versus 200 mg (1.1 (0.8 to 1.5) vs 1.5 (1.2 to 1.8)). Incidence of serious infections, herpes zoster, MACE, malignancies and all-cause mortality was higher in patients aged ≥65 versus <65 years. In patients aged ≥65 years, EAIRs (95% CI)/100 PYE for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) (0.4 (0.1 to 1.1) vs 1.4 (0.8 to 2.2)), malignancies excluding NMSC (1.0 (0.5 to 1.9) vs 2.0 (1.3 to 2.9)) and all-cause mortality (1.3 (0.7 to 2.2) vs 1.6 (1.0 to 2.5)) were numerically lower for filgotinib 100 mg versus 200 mg.

Conclusions: In the overall population, TEAEs of interest were stable over time and similar between filgotinib 100 mg and 200 mg dose groups, except for herpes zoster. A dose-dependent relationship between malignancies and all-cause mortality was suggested in patients ≥65 years old.

Keywords: Antirheumatic Agents; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Therapeutics.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antirheumatic Agents* / adverse effects
  • Antirheumatic Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid* / drug therapy
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / chemically induced
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Female
  • Herpes Zoster / chemically induced
  • Herpes Zoster / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Janus Kinase Inhibitors / adverse effects
  • Janus Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Pyridines / adverse effects
  • Pyridines / therapeutic use
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Triazoles / adverse effects
  • Triazoles / therapeutic use
  • Venous Thromboembolism / chemically induced
  • Venous Thromboembolism / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • GLPG0634
  • Janus Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyridines
  • Triazoles