Nash P, Richette P, Gossec L, et al. - In PsA patients, upadacitinib’s (an oral Janus kinase inhibitor) efficacy and safety were generally consistent when used as monotherapy or in combination with non-biologic DMARDs (nbDMARDs) through 24 weeks, and therefore, use of upadacitinib with or without nbDMARDs in PsA is supported.

• Pooled data were studied from 1,916 PsA patients with prior inadequate response or intolerance to ≥ 1 nbDMARD or ≥ 1 biologic DMARD who were treated with placebo, upadacitinib 15 mg once daily (QD), or upadacitinib 30 mg QD as monotherapy or in combination with ≤2 nbDMARDs for 24 weeks.

• Achievement of American College of Rheumatology responses, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index responses, and minimal disease activity, and change from baseline and clinically meaningful improvement in Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index, were efficacy outcomes evaluated.

• At week 12, placebo-subtracted treatment effects for upadacitinib 15 mg QD monotherapy and combination therapy were 33.7% and 34.0%, respectively, and were 45.7% and 39.6% for upadacitinib 30 mg QD monotherapy and combination therapy, respectively.

• For other outcomes, there were consistent treatment effects between monotherapy and combination therapy.

• For upadacitinib monotherapy and combination therapy, generally similar adverse event frequency was noted, although combination therapy was linked with more common occurrence of hepatic disorders and creatine phosphokinase increase.