AusDoc brings you the latest news from the American College of Rheumatology virtual congress 2020.

The Janus kinase inhibitor tofacitinib is shaping up as a potentially useful therapy for treatment of ankylosing spondylitis, according to results from a phase 3 randomised controlled trial.

The Pfizer-sponsored study of 269 adult patients with active ankylosing spondylitis found significant superiority of tofacitinib over placebo, although at the expense of more adverse events, researchers told ACR Convergence, the American College of Rheumatology virtual congress, this week.

In a late breaking abstract session, Professor Atul Deodhar, from Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, US, presented results from a 16-week study of oral tofacitinib 5mg twice daily in patients with ankylosing spondylitis who failed to respond to, or had an intolerance to, NSAIDS.