AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) has notched a new approval for the Janus kinase 1 (JAK) inhibitor Rinvoq (upadacitinib) for ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory type of arthritis affecting the spine.
The drug was first approved for treating rheumatoid arthritis in 2019. Indications followed for psoriatic arthritis, atopic dermatitis and ulcerative colitis.
The ankylosing spondylitis indication is limited to patients who have had an inadequate response or intolerance to one or more tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors.
AbbVie provided data from two pivotal studies showing the drug supported The Assessment in SpondyloArthritis international Society 40% (ASAS40) benchmark to win the latest indication.
Rinvoq image courtesy of AbbVie
ASAS40 refers to an at least 40% improvement in three out of four domains related to back pain, disease activity, physical function and inflammation. The ASAS40 respons…