Januse Kinase Inhibition With Filgotinib to Silence Autoreactive B Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Summary

To investigate the effect of filgotinib on phenotype, B cell receptor (BCR) usage and functional parameters of circulating B cells expressing ACPA in patients with ACPA-positive RA that show incomplete response to standard, medium-dose methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy.

Timeline

Start

2022-10

Primary completion

2025-03

Completion

2025-10

Publications

• Background Kristyanto H, Blomberg NJ, Slot LM, van der Voort EIH, Kerkman PF, Bakker A, Burgers LE, Ten Brinck RM, van der Helm-van Mil AHM, Spits H, Baeten DL, Huizinga TWJ, Toes REM, Scherer HU. Persistently activated, proliferative memory autoreactive B cells promote inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. Sci Transl Med. 2020 Nov 18;12(570):eaaz5327. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaz5327.
• Background Kerkman PF, Fabre E, van der Voort EI, Zaldumbide A, Rombouts Y, Rispens T, Wolbink G, Hoeben RC, Spits H, Baeten DL, Huizinga TW, Toes RE, Scherer HU. Identification and characterisation of citrullinated antigen-specific B cells in peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2016 Jun;75(6):1170-6. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-207182. Epub 2015 Jun 1.
• Background Kerkman PF, Rombouts Y, van der Voort EI, Trouw LA, Huizinga TW, Toes RE, Scherer HU. Circulating plasmablasts/plasmacells as a source of anticitrullinated protein antibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2013 Jul;72(7):1259-63. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-202893. Epub 2013 Apr 26.
• Background Scherer HU, Huizinga TWJ, Kronke G, Schett G, Toes REM. The B cell response to citrullinated antigens in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2018 Mar;14(3):157-169. doi: 10.1038/nrrheum.2018.10. Epub 2018 Feb 8.
• Background Westhovens R, Taylor PC, Alten R, Pavlova D, Enriquez-Sosa F, Mazur M, Greenwald M, Van der Aa A, Vanhoutte F, Tasset C, Harrison P. Filgotinib (GLPG0634/GS-6034), an oral JAK1 selective inhibitor, is effective in combination with methotrexate (MTX) in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis and insufficient response to MTX: results from a randomised, dose-finding study (DARWIN 1). Ann Rheum Dis. 2017 Jun;76(6):998-1008. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-210104. Epub 2016 Dec 19.
• Background Van Rompaey L, Galien R, van der Aar EM, Clement-Lacroix P, Nelles L, Smets B, Lepescheux L, Christophe T, Conrath K, Vandeghinste N, Vayssiere B, De Vos S, Fletcher S, Brys R, van 't Klooster G, Feyen JH, Menet C. Preclinical characterization of GLPG0634, a selective inhibitor of JAK1, for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. J Immunol. 2013 Oct 1;191(7):3568-77. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1201348. Epub 2013 Sep 4.
• Background Hewlett S, Kirwan J, Bode C, Cramp F, Carmona L, Dures E, Englbrecht M, Fransen J, Greenwood R, Hagel S, van de Laar M, Molto A, Nicklin J, Petersson IF, Redondo M, Schett G, Gossec L. The revised Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue measures and the Rheumatoid Arthritis Impact of Disease scale: validation in six countries. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2018 Feb 1;57(2):300-308. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kex370.

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