Pfizer China’s XELJANZ approved for rheumatoid arthritis treatment

Chinese authorities recently approved Pfizer China’s oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor XELJANZ, with active ingredient tofacitinib citrate, indicated for treating adults with moderate to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
“The introduction of the first oral JAK inhibitor for RA in China, XELJANZ, builds upon Pfizer’s legacy as an innovator in inflammation and immunology and provides a new option for physicians and adult patients with moderately to severely active RA who may prefer an oral treatment for this chronic condition,” Pfizer Innovative Health China Country Lead Guohong Shan said.
JAK inhibitors work by disrupting a signalling pathway that is believed to play a role in RA-associated inflammation, and XELJANZ is the first such drug approved for use in RA patients. XELJANZ helps treat patients who are intolerant to methotrexate (MTX) or who have not fully responded to it, and can be used in combination with MTX and other non-biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.
"We applaud the efforts of Chinese government and the CFDA to bring new medicines to the Chinese health care system,” Pfizer China Country Manager Dr. Wu Xiaobin said. “Pfizer is committed to working closely with the CFDA, and will continue to partner with the Chinese government with the goal to help improve the lives of patients and people in China.”