O09 Safety profile of baricitinib for the treatment of RA up to 8.4 years: an updated integrated safety analysis
Authors: Winthrop Kevin L , Takeuchi Tsutomu , Burmester Gerd , Deberdt Walter , Schlichting Douglas , Mo Daojun , Walls Chad , Smolen Josef S 
Published: April 2021

Background/Aims 

Baricitinib (BARI) is an oral selective inhibitor of Janus kinase (JAK)1/2, approved for treatment of moderate-to-severe- rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults. Here, we update the drug’s safety profile with data up to 8.4 years of treatment.

Methods 

Long-term safety of BARI was assessed from 9 completed randomized trials(5 Ph3, 3 Ph2, 1 Ph 1b) and 1 ongoing long-term extension(LTE) study. Incidence rates(IRs) per 100 patient-years (PY) were calculated for all RA patients treated with ≥1 dose of BARI through 1-Sep-2019(All-BARI-RA set). IRs for deep vein thrombosis(DVT), pulmonary embolism(PE), and DVT and/or PE(DVT/PE) were also calculated for groups of patients while receiving BARI 2mg/4mg within All-BARI-RA. Major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE) were adjudicated in 5 Ph3 studies and the LTE.

Results 

3770 pts received BARI for 13,148 PY, with median and maximum exposure: 4.2 and 8.4 years, respectively. Overall IRs per 100 PY were: for any treatment-emergent adverse event (AE)(25.8); serious AE (including death)(7.2); temporary interruption due to AE (9.5); permanent discontinuation due to AE (4.8); death (0.52); serious infection (2.7); opportunistic infection (0.46)(excluding tuberculosis [TB], including multidermatomal herpes zoster [HZ]); TB (0.15); HZ (3.0); MACE (0.50); DVT (0.31); PE (0.24); DVT/PE (0.46); malignancies excluding non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC)(0.91); NMSC (0.33); lymphoma (0.07); and gastrointestinal perforation (0.04). (IRs)[95% confidence intervals] for patients while receiving BARI 2mg (N = 1077) and BARI 4mg (N = 3400) were DVT 2mg (0.38)[0.18, 0.73] and 4mg (0.30)[0.21, 0.43]; PE 2mg (0.26)[0.09, 0.56] and 4mg (0.25)[0.16, 0.36]; and DVT/PE 2mg (0.47)[0.23, 0.84] and 4mg (0.46)[0.34, 0.61]. IRs for death tended to increase in later time intervals (beyond 192 weeks). No particular cause of death contributed to this increase. For all other safety topics of interest, across 48-week treatment intervals, IRs remained stable over time. Across safety topics, IRs were consistent with previous analyses.

Conclusion 

In this update, with 3021 additional PY of exposure, BARI maintained a safety profile similar to that previously reported, with no increase of IRs across safety topics through exposures up to 8.4 years.

Disclosure 

K.L. Winthrop: Consultancies; AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer, and UCB Pharma. Grants/research support; Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer. T. Takeuchi: Consultancies; AbbVie, Asahi Kasei Medical, Astellas, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Chugai, Daiichi Sankyo, Eisai, Eli Lilly and Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Nippon Kayaku, Novartis, Pfizer Japan, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Taiho Toyama Pharmaceutical, Takeda, and UCB Japan. G. Burmester: Consultancies; Eli Lilly and Company, Janssen, Novartis, and Pfizer. Grants/research support; Eli Lilly and Company. W. Deberdt: Shareholder/stock ownership; Eli Lilly and Company. D. Schlichting: Shareholder/stock ownership; Eli Lilly and Company. D. Mo: Shareholder/stock ownership; Eli Lilly and Company. C. Walls: Shareholder/stock ownership; Eli Lilly and Company. J.S. Smolen: Consultancies; AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Astro Pharma, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Celltrion, Chugai, Eli Lilly and Company, Gilead Sciences, ILTOO Pharma, Janssen, MedImmune, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis-Sandoz, Pfizer, Roche, Samsung, Sanofi-Aventis, and UCB Pharma. Grants/research support; AbbVie, Eli Lilly and Company, Janssen, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Pfizer, and Roche.