FDA Approves New Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug

AbbVie announced on Aug. 16, 2019 that FDA approved RINVOQ (upadacitinib) for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have had an inadequate response or intolerance to methotrexate (MTX-IR). The drug is anticipated to be available in the United States in late August 2019. 

"Despite the availability of multiple treatment options with varying mechanisms of action, many patients still do not achieve clinical remission or low disease activity-the primary treatment goals for rheumatoid arthritis," said Roy M. Fleischmann, MD, primary investigator for the Phase III clinical trial program and clinical professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, in a company press release. "With this FDA approval, RINVOQ has the potential to help additional people living with RA achieve remission who have not yet reached this goal."

Source: AbbVie