Janus kinase inhibitors for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases: developments from phase I and phase II clinical trials

ABSTRACT

Introduction: A new pharmacological class, Janus kinases (JAK) inhibitors, has been shown to be effective and safe for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the JAK inhibitors currently under investigation in phase I and II clinical trials for patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and the possible future perspectives for the treatment of IBD patients with this class of drugs.

Areas covered: This review describes the JAK–STAT pathway and analyzes the efficacy and safety of new small molecules such as filgotinib, upadacitinib, TD-1473, peficitinib, and Pf-06651600/Pf-06700841, showing data from phase I and II trials.

Expert Opinion: JAK inhibitors, if approved by the regulatory authorities, could represent a novel and intriguing drug class. In the next years, the approach to patients with IBD will become increasingly personalized.

KEYWORDS:

• JAK inhibitors
• future perspectives
• IBD
• phase I and II clinical trials

Declaration of Interests

S Danese has served as a speaker, a consultant and an advisory board member for Abbvie, Allergan, Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, Celltrion, Ferring, Hospira, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, MSD, Takeda, Mundipharma, Pfizer, Sandoz, Tigenix, UCB Pharma and Vifor. G Fiorino served as a consultant and advisory board member for MSD, AbbVie, Takeda, Janssen, Mundipharma, Sandoz, Pfizer. M Allocca received consulting fees from Nikkiso Europe and lecture fees from Janssen and Pfizer. F Furfaro received consulting fees from MSD and Abbvie and lecture fees from Janssen and Pfizer. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.