Apparently there is a new drug on the block!

[Moomin8]

express.co.uk/life-style/he...

[Matilda_1922]

Looks promising

[JacquiThomas999]

I know, exciting. Just have to get it on the NHS drugs list.

Let's hope.

Jacqui

[Hidden]

youtube.com/watch?v=q2Q9WCH...(Not working as expected?)

[helixhelix]

An American called Anichou posted about this a couple of weeks ago as she'd just moved to U.K. and was on this drug (successfully) in US and was wondering how to get it in U.K. I looked it up and although licensed it's not available on NHS yet. It will be considered by NHS NICE panel on 26th July.....

(Am I an RA nerd or what?)

[Hidden in reply to helixhelix]

I too am an RA nerd. xeljanz has been approved in Canada 2015 with strict guidlines. But you have to fail 2 biologics before you are offer it.

[nomoreheels]

We discussed this a couple of years ago with a member who had read about a Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitor which had been approved by the FDA back in 2012 & was hoping it may be suitable or available here but, & don't quote me because I've not found any evidence, it would cost £2000 per month.

I think the statement "It can also be used as a therapy in case of intolerance to methotrexate or when treatment with methotrexate is inappropriate." is misleading. It's group is similar to biologics so there will be strict guidelines & we may even have had to tried others before being considered, though it may be useful for those with problematic veins for whom infusions aren't an option with it being in tablet form.

So, whilst marketing authorisation is another step forward we're not quite at the 'available to us' stage yet. We're all aware how cash strapped the NHS is & given how expensive it would be per patient I hope that the last step, the reimbursement process, won't be what stops it being available to us. Sorry to end on a slightly negative note because I do think it could be a positive step forward for many with it being a new class of drug.

[Hidden in reply to nomoreheels]

Please remember that this is a USA commercial and in the US pharma companies compete for your business. Advertising drugs commercials are all over the TV...In my country advertising prescription drugs are not allowed.

It is the first biologic that has come in a pill form, or so I'm told. There are very strict regulations to get it here (Canada, eventhough it is now available.since 2015)

Anyways in Canada this drug is cheaper than humira and according to my rheumie he only prescribes it to people who can't tolerate other biologics. My rheumie hates these commercials because new RA patients always ask for them.

[nomoreheels in reply to Hidden]

I'd heard that about the less strict advertising in the US before Sue, it's alien to us here too because like in Canada manufacturers of prescription meds aren't allowed to advertise on TV here either. I'd not seen your video when I wrote but now I have I see it's also mentioning MTX in the same context as the editorial in the Express, what I was referring to, wires crossed a bit I think.

I get the impression the use of it could be similar here, that existing biologics will still be recommended before it's use, or, considered if it's thought a patient for whom MTX is contraindicated won't have suitable results from those biologics which usually have more successful results when given with MTX. But at least it's potentially a new med & that can only be a good thing.

[Clare-NRAS Partner NRAS]

Hello everyone. NRAS will be issuing further information about this new drug a (JAK inhibitor) once it has gone through the NICE appraisal and we know a bit more about where it will sit within the treatment pathway. Just to clarify it is NOT a biologic drug in that it is not developed from living organisms. Clinical trials look very promising and we are aware of two companies bringing this class of drug to market. For full information when it is available for use in the NHS etc. please keep an eye on the NRAS website or watch out for the new NRAS RA medicines booklet being launched at the rheumatology conference in April. We will also be publishing an update in the Summer Magazine when we hope NICE will have completed their appraisal.

nras.org.uk

[Moomin8 in reply to Clare-NRAS]

Thanks for clarifying that Clare ☺

[Whatsnext]

I have been on xeljanz with methotrexate for 3 1/2 months and it has been nice not sticking myself in the stomach. Very nice. But it does not look like it is going to work for me because I am getting pretty bad flares. I am running out of options. This does not mean it will not work for someone else because we are all unique cases of RA.😀

[Moomin8]

Sorry to hear that it's not working for you atm.

[BoneyC]

Don't believe anything in the Daily Depress!

[Hidden]

here is a link from John Hopkins University on xeljanz a very good write up

hopkinsarthritis.org/arthri...

[JennyA123]

Hi here in the US is been available, I even ask my Rheumy if I can try it.. she said she will not recommend it, she said is so new and they still have to do more research on it to see if it dsnt cause any tipe of cancer, and she whont prescribe it just yet .