Pfizer's tasocitinib reduced signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in Ph III study; New data on Roche's Actemra in RA

A Phase III study, dubbed ORAL Solo (1045), has demonstrated that US pharma behemoth Pfizer’s (NYSE: PFE) tasocitinib (CP-690,550), an investigational, novel, oral JAK inhibitor, administered as monotherapy met two primary endpoints, demonstrating a statistically significant reduction in signs and symptoms of moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and improvement in physical function as measured by ACR20 response rates and mean change in HAQ-DI, respectively, versus placebo at three months.

Pfizer’s much anticipated RA candidate reduced pain and inflammation for 71% of patients in a study that may help the company supplant injectable anti-tumor necrosis factor drugs – including its own product Enbrel - with $12 billion in yearly sales, comments Bloomberg, quoting Tim Anderson, an analyst with Sanford C Bernstein & Co as projecting annual sales of $2 billion for tasocitinib.

Third endpoint not significant