Janus Kinase (JAK) Inhibitors

Warning

BARICITINIB

Administration: Oral

Dose:

  • 4mg orally once daily with or without food
  • 2mg daily if - >75 years old, eGFR 30-60ml/min, or on OAT3 inhibitor such as Probenecid

Time to response: Up to 24 weeks

Indications: Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Contraindications:

  • Pregnancy & breast feeding.
  • Active infection including HBV, HCV & HIV.
  • Active/latent TB.
  • ALT/AST >5x upper limit of normal.
  • Neutrophils < 1x109/l, lymphocytes <0.5x109/l or Hb <8g/dL.
  • Uncontrolled hyperlipidaemia.

Cautions:

  • Patients with risk factors for DVT/PE.
  • Those with a history of diverticular disease particularly if on concomitant medications with increased risk of diverticulitis.

Monitoring:

  • Fasting lipid profile 12 weeks after starting drug
  • FBC, U&E, LFTs at 4 weeks, 12 weeks and every 3 months thereafter

Vaccinations:

  • Avoid live attenuated vaccines.
  • Offer annual influenza vaccination.
  • In those who are biologic naïve pneumococcal vaccination and Sars-Cov-2 vaccination should ideally be performed at least 2 weeks before commencing biologic treatment.
  • Assuming no contraindications before starting treatment:
    • Patients >50 should undergo vaccination against HZV.
    • Those who are varicella zoster negative should be offered varicella vaccination.

In the event of:

  • Hyperlipidaemia - treat with lipid lowering agents.
  • Infection - withhold BARICITINIB until infection treated.
  • Confirmed DVT/PE - BARICITINIB treatment should be stopped.
  • Diverticular perforation – BARICITINIB should be stopped.
  • ALT/AST > 3x upper limit of normal – stop BARICITINIB
  • Neutrophils < 1x109/l, lymphocytes <0.5x109/l, Hb <8g/dL– stop BARICITINIB.
  • Effective contraception whilst on treatment and for 1 week after receiving BARICITINIB.

FILGOTINIB

Administration: Oral

Dose:

  • 200mg taken orally once daily with or without food.
  • A starting dose of 100 mg once daily is recommended for patients aged ≥75 years and for patients with moderate or severe renal impairment.

Time to response: up to 24 weeks

Indications: Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Contraindications:

  • Pregnancy & breast feeding.
  • Active infection including HBV, HCV & HIV.
  • Active/latent TB.
  • Neutrophils < 1x109/l, lymphocytes <0.5x109/l or Hb <8g/dL.
  • Creatinine clearance <15ml/min.
  • Child Pugh C hepatic impairment.
  • Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, total lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption.

Cautions:

  • Patients with risk factors for DVT/PE.
  • The potential risk of reduced fertility or infertility should be discussed with male patients before initiating treatment.

Monitoring:

  • Fasting lipid profile 12 weeks after starting drug.
  • FBC, U&E, LFTs at 4 weeks, 12 weeks and every 3 months thereafter.

Vaccinations:

  • Avoid live attenuated vaccines.
  • Offer annual influenza vaccination.
  • In those who are biologic naïve pneumococcal vaccination and Sars-Cov-2 vaccination should ideally be performed at least 2 weeks before commencing biologic treatment.
  • Assuming no contraindications before starting treatment:
    • Patients >50 should undergo vaccination against HZV.
    • Those who are varicella zoster negative should be offered varicella vaccination.

In the event of:

  • Hyperlipidaemia - treat with lipid lowering agents.
  • Infection - withhold FILGOTINIB until infection treated.
  • Confirmed DVT/PE - FILGOTINIB treatment should be stopped.
  • Diverticular perforation – FILGOTINIB should be stopped.
  • Child Pugh C– stop FILGOTINIB.
  • Neutrophils < 1x109/l, lymphocytes <0.5x109/l, Hb <8g/dL– stop FILGOTINIB.
  • Effective contraception whilst on treatment and for 1 week after receiving FILGOTINIB.

TOFACITINIB

Administration: Oral

Dose: 5mg orally twice daily with or without food

Time to response: Up to 24 weeks

Indications:

  • Rheumatoid Arthritis.
  • Psoriatic Arthritis.

Contraindications:

  • Pregnancy & breast feeding.
  • Active infection including HBV, HCV & HIV.
  • Active/ latent TB.
  • ALT/AST >5X upper limit of normal.
  • Neutrophils < 1x109/l, lymphocytes <0.5x109/l or Hb <8g/dL.
  • Uncontrolled hyperlipidaemia.
  • Pregnancy.

Cautions:

  • Should be used with caution in patients with risk factors for DVT/PE.
  • Those >65 years are at risk of serious infections and should be treated with TOFACITINIB only if there is no alternative treatment.
  • Preliminary data from a clinical trial of patients with rheumatoid arthritis suggested a higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events and malignancies (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer).

Monitoring:

  • Fasting lipid profile 8 weeks after starting drug
  • FBC, U&E, LFTs every 3-6 months

Vaccinations:

  • Avoid live attenuated vaccines.
  • Offer annual influenza vaccination.
  • In those who are biologic naïve pneumococcal vaccination and Sars-Cov-2 vaccination should ideally be performed at least 2 weeks before commencing biologic treatment.
  • Assuming no contraindications before starting treatment:
    • Patients >50 should undergo vaccination against HZV.
    • Those who are varicella zoster negative should be offered varicella vaccination.

In the event of:

  • ALT/AST > 3x upper limit of normal – stop TOFACITINIB.
  • Neutrophils < 1x109/l, lymphocytes <0.5x109/l, Hb <8g/dL– stop TOFACITINIB.
  • Hyperlipidaemia - treat with lipid lowering agents.
  • Infection - withhold tofacitinib until infection treated.
  • Suspected DVT/PE – TOFACITINIB treatment should be temporarily interrupted and patients should be evaluated promptly, followed by appropriate treatment.
  • Effective contraception whilst on treatment and for 1 week after receiving TOFACITINIB.

UPADACITINIB

Administration: Oral

Dose:

  • 15mg orally once daily with or without food
  • No dose adjustment required in mild to moderate renal or hepatic impairment.

Time to response: Up to 24 weeks

Indications:

  • Rheumatoid Arthritis.
  • Psoriatic Arthritis.
  • Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Contraindications:

  • Pregnancy & breast feeding.
  • Active infection including HBV, HCV & HIV.
  • Active/latent TB
  • ALT/AST >5x upper limit of normal.
  • Neutrophils < 1x109/l, lymphocytes <0.5x109/l or Hb <8g/dL.
  • Uncontrolled hyperlipidaemia.
  • Hypersensitivity to active substances or to any of the excipients.

Cautions:

  • Patients with risk factors for DVT/PE.
  • Those with a history of diverticular disease particularly if on concomitant medications with increased risk of diverticulitis.

Monitoring:

  • Fasting lipid profile 12 weeks after starting drug.
  • FBC, U&E, LFTs at 4 weeks, 12 weeks and every 3 months thereafter.

Vaccinations:

  • Avoid live attenuated vaccines.
  • Offer annual influenza vaccination.
  • In those who are biologic naïve pneumococcal vaccination and Sars-Cov-2 vaccination should ideally be performed at least 2 weeks before commencing biologic treatment.
  • Assuming no contraindications before starting treatment:
    • Patients >50 should undergo vaccination against HZV.
    • Those who are varicella zoster negative should be offered varicella vaccination.

In the event of:

  • Hyperlipidaemia - treat with lipid lowering agents.
  • Infection - withhold UPADACITINIB until infection treated.
  • Confirmed DVT/PE - UPADACITINIB treatment should be stopped.
  • Diverticular perforation – UPADACITINIB should be stopped.
  • ALT/AST > 3x upper limit of normal – stop UPADACITINIB.
  • Neutrophils < 1x109/l, lymphocytes <0.5x109/l, Hb <8g/dL– stop UPADACITINIB.
  • Effective contraception whilst on treatment and for 4 weeks after receiving UPADACITINIB.

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 16/11/2021

Next review date: 16/11/2024

Author(s): Dr Karen Donaldson (lead author), Dr Elizabeth Murphy, Professor Robin Munro, Dr Sanjiv Nandwani, Dr Saira Batool, Dr Georgiana Young, (other contributors to documents included in guideline).

Version: V1

Approved By: Dr Karen Donaldson Rheumatology Clinical Lead; Rheumatology Consultants

Reviewer name(s): Karen Donaldson.