The FDA has notified healthcare professionals of a safety alert concerning tofacitinib (Xeljanz), noting that preliminary results from a long-term safety clinical trial show an increased risk of serious heart-related problems and cancer with tofacitinib (compared to adalimumab) when given to at-risk rheumatoid arthritis patients.

For a variety of reasons, the use of anti-malarials (chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine) rose dramatically in the pandemic; notable was the lack of proven benefit and the dramatic risk in reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with these drugs being used to treat SARS-CoV-2.

The infliximab biosimilar CT-P13, developed by Celltrion and marketed as Remsima has been approved by HealthCanad for subcutaneous (SC) use in all the indications for infliximab. Last year the EMA approved the subcutaneous use of Celltrions Remsima SC; based on the phase I/III study showing equivalence between SC and IV forms in active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

A longitudinal observational cohort study of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients treated with biologic therapy finds relatively low persistence of selected biologic therapy in PsA patients