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Objectives: Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) have an established role in treating anemia in hematological malignancies. However, their role, particularly biosimilar ESA (B-ESA), in myelofibrosis (MF) is not well established.Methods: This study retrospectively collected data on 96 MF patients treated with B-ESA (alpha/zeta) for the management of anemia to assess safety, efficacy (anemia response [AR]), and survival.Results: Seventy-seven patients (80%) obtained AR. The median time to AR was 2.5 months. In multivariate analysis, significant predictive factors of AR were transfusion independency (p = .006) and ferritin levels < 200 ng/ml (p = .009) at baseline. After a median follow-up of 43.8 months from diagnosis, 38 patients (39%) died, 11 (28.9%) from leukemic evolution. Only two patients (2.5%) stopped B-ESA for toxicity. The 24-month survival was significantly affected by response to B-ESA (70.8% in AR vs. 55.3% in non-responder patients, p = .016). In multivariate analysis, age & LE; 70 years (p = .029) and Hb > 8.5 g/dl (p = .047) at baseline were significantly associated with improved survival, with a trend for longer survival in AR patients (p = .06).Conclusions: B-ESA seems to be an effective and well-tolerated option for anemia treatment in the MF setting. This strategy deserves further clinical investigation.

Upadacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and recently approved by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The efficacy and safety profile of upadacitinib in PsA have been established in the SELECT‐PsA program in two global phase III studies, which evaluated upadacitinib 15 and 30 mg q.d. The analyses described here characterized upadacitinib pharmacokinetics and exposure‐response relationships for efficacy and safety endpoints using data from the SELECT‐PsA studies. Upadacitinib pharmacokinetics in patients with PsA were characterized through a Bayesian population analysis approach and were comparable to pharmacokinetics in patients with RA. Exposure‐response relationships for key efficacy and safety endpoints were characterized using data from 1916 patients with PsA. The percentage of patients achieving efficacy endpoints at week 12 (American College of Rheumatology [ACR]50 and ACR70), 16 and 24 (sIGA0/1) increased with increasing upadacitinib average plasma concentration over a dosing interval, whereas no clear exposure‐response trend was observed for ACR20 at week 12 or ACR20/50/70 at week 24 within the range of plasma exposures evaluated in the phase III PsA studies. No clear trends for exposure‐response relationships were identified for experiencing pneumonia, herpes zoster infection, hemoglobin less than 8 g/dl, lymphopenia (grade ≥ 3), or neutropenia (grade ≥ 3) after 24 weeks of treatment. Shallow relationships with plasma exposures were observed for serious infections and hemoglobin decrease greater than 2 g/dl from baseline at week 24. Based on exposure‐response analyses, the upadacitinib 15 mg q.d. regimen is predicted to achieve robust efficacy in patients with PsA and to be associated with limited incidences of reductions in hemoglobin or occurrence of serious infections.

BACKGROUND Tofacitinib is an oral, small molecule Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. We present final data from OCTAVE Open, an open-label, long-term extension study. AIMS The primary objective of OCTAVE Open was to assess the safety and tolerability of long-term tofacitinib in patients with ulcerative colitis; evaluating efficacy was a secondary objective. METHODS Eligible patients included OCTAVE Induction 1&2 non-responders and OCTAVE Sustain completers/treatment failures. Patients in remission at OCTAVE Open baseline received tofacitinib 5 mg b.d.; all others received 10 mg b.d. Incidence rates (unique patients with events/100 patient-years) for adverse events of special interest were calculated; ≤7.0 years of observation. Efficacy endpoints derived from Mayo score were reported ≤36 months (last scheduled endoscopy visit). RESULTS In OCTAVE Open, 769 of 944 patients (81.5%) initially received tofacitinib 10 mg b.d. Among all patients (2440.8 patient-years of exposure), incidence rates (IRs; 95% confidence intervals) for deaths and adverse events of special interest were: deaths, 0.25 (0.09-0.54); serious infections, 1.61 (1.14-2.20); herpes zoster (non-serious and serious), 3.16 (2.47-3.97); opportunistic infections, 0.87 (0.54-1.33); major adverse cardiovascular events, 0.16 (0.04-0.42); malignancies (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer), 1.03 (0.67-1.52); non-melanoma skin cancer, 0.75 (0.45-1.19); deep vein thrombosis, 0.04 (0.00-0.23); pulmonary embolism, 0.21 (0.07-0.48). At Month 36, 66.9% and 40.3% showed clinical response, 64.6% and 37.1% had endoscopic improvement, and 58.9% and 33.7% maintained or achieved remission, with tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg b.d. respectively. CONCLUSION Tofacitinib demonstrated consistent safety up to 7.0 years. Data collected up to Month 36 support long-term efficacy beyond the 52-week maintenance study.

BACKGROUND: Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). Post-marketing surveillance (PMS) is an important part of monitoring adverse events (AEs). AIMS: To report an analysis of PMS case safety reports for tofacitinib in patients with UC METHODS: Worldwide tofacitinib PMS reports received in the Pfizer safety database from 30 May 2018 (first regulatory approval) to 25 August 2020 were analysed. The type and estimated reporting rate (RR) of serious AEs of interest, including infection, gastrointestinal, vascular, respiratory, neoplasm and cardiac events, were reviewed. Patient-years of exposure (PY) was estimated based on worldwide sales data and the calculated daily regimens of tofacitinib 5 or 10 mg twice daily, immediate- or extended-release formulations. RESULTS: During the 27-month reporting period, worldwide post-marketing exposure to tofacitinib was 8916 PY. Overall, 4226 case reports were received and included 12 103 AEs, of which 1839 were serious AEs (SAEs). Among the cases reported, 1141 (27.0%) included an SAE and 18 (0.4%) were fatal. The RR (per 100 PY) for SAEs of interest by Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities System Organ Class were 3.28 for infections, 1.26 for vascular disorders, 0.74 for respiratory disorders, 0.55 for neoplasms and 0.50 for cardiac disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The types of AEs were consistent with those reported in tofacitinib clinical trials. Most reported AEs were non-serious. Limitations of PMS reports and reliance on estimated RRs due to lack of precise values for exposure, required for incidence rate calculation, should be considered when interpreting these results. ispartof: ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS vol:55 issue:3 pages:302-310 ispartof: location:England status: published

Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are emerging treatments for atopic dermatitis (AD). Due to this novel role as a therapeutic option for patients with AD, we aimed to review current evidence on the pathophysiology and the safety and adverse effects (AEs) of oral JAK inhibitors for the treatment of AD utilizing the key terms atopic dermatitis, JAK inhibitors, and adverse effect or event. Our study indicated that oral JAK inhibitors have a moderate safety profile for use in AD in several reviews and phase II or III clinical trials. Headaches, nausea, and nasopharyngitis are the most commonly reported systemic AEs. Furthermore, acne, herpes simplex, herpes zoster, and eczema herpeticum are the most commonly recorded dermatological AEs. Current evidence indicates JAK inhibitors may also have less association with some of the serious AEs, although there is potential for increased risk of asthma, acute pancreatitis, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia. Whereas data remain limited for the long-term safety of JAK inhibitor use in patients with AD, many ongoing clinical trials have promising preliminary results.

BACKGROUND Obesity may affect efficacy and safety of biologic treatments for ulcerative colitis (UC). Tofacitinib is an oral, small molecule Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of UC. AIMS To assess efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in patients with UC, by baseline body mass index (BMI). METHODS This post hoc analysis evaluated patients with UC receiving placebo or tofacitinib from the 8-week OCTAVE Induction 1 and 2 (NCT01465763, NCT01458951) and 52-week OCTAVE Sustain (NCT01458574) studies. Patients were stratified by BMI at OCTAVE Induction 1 and 2 baseline (

The last decade has seen considerable advancement in the treatment options available to patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) through the development of oral, small molecules that target and inhibit Janus kinases (JAKi). These drugs have a rapid onset of action, disrupting the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway and preventing the production of cytokines involved in inflammatory processes. They have the potential to provide immunomodulatory benefits across a broad range of diseases. This narrative review focuses on the safety profile of tofacitinib, baricitinib, upadacitinib, and filgotinib. Although JAKi have been shown to be effective in the treatment of RA, it is posited that they have different selectivities, which are likely to affect their safety profiles in RA patients. Currently, there are limited long-term safety data available, with most data coming from randomized controlled trials. However, the data that are available show that upadacitinib and filgotinib may have improved safety profiles. This is particularly true in relation to herpes zoster, venous thromboembolism, and gastrointestinal perforation. Future research is needed to investigate the safety and efficacy of switching between JAKi when a previous JAKi has not been tolerated or has been ineffective.

Tofacitinib is a JAK1/3 inhibitor used off-label to treat alopecia areata (AA). Oral tofacitinib undergoes extensive hepatic metabolism and has numerous drug interactions and a half-life of 3 hours necessitating twice daily dosing. Sublingual delivery bypasses hepatic first-pass metabolism, which may provide pharmacokinetic benefits and reduce gastrointestinal side effects. We investigate sublingual tofacitinib as a novel form of administration in a cohort of treatment-resistant patients. The objective of this work is to assess the efficacy and pharmacokinetics of sublingual tofacitinib in moderate-to-severe AA patients. An open-label, roll-over pilot clinical trial was conducted. Participants were recruited from a preceding trial. All responders (≥50% reduction in Severity of Alopecia Tool [SALT] score, SALT50) in the preceding trial continued on the same treatment (cyclosporine/placebo), whereas nonresponders rolled over to receive open-label sublingual tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily for 12 weeks. Treatment response as reduction in SALT score after 12 weeks (low: 15-29%, medium: 30-49%, good: 50-75%, and high grade: 75-100%) was measured. Pharmacokinetics was analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Eighteen participants completed the trial. Total treatment response to tofacitinib was 37.5%. SALT50 was achieved in 12.5%. The mean improvement in SALT score was 15.57%. Mean maximum plasma concentration was 43.18 ng/ml occurring after 1 hour. Elimination half-life is estimated to be up to 11 hours. An estimated half-life of up to 11 hours may be achieved with sublingual tofacitinib, which is significantly longer than the oral form and may facilitate daily dosing. Larger clinical trials are required to further characterize its pharmacokinetics and efficacy.

The marketed tablet formulation of peficitinib differs from the tablet used during the clinical trials. The bioequivalence of the marketed formulation and developmental tablet, and the food effect on the marketed formulation, were analyzed in 2 Japanese open‐label, randomized, 2‐way crossover studies in healthy male volunteers. Volunteers received a single oral dose of the marketed 150‐mg peficitinib tablet under fasted conditions (bioequivalence), and under fed or fasted conditions (food effect). Bioequivalence was compared with the developmental 150‐mg tablet. Samples for pharmacokinetic analysis were collected before dose and ≤72 hours after dose. Safety assessments included adverse events, vital signs, and laboratory variables. In total, 40 and 18 subjects were randomized to the bioequivalence and food effect studies, respectively. The 2 peficitinib formulations were bioequivalent (90% confidence intervals of the geometric mean ratios for Cmax and AUCt of peficitinib were within predefined limits of 0.8 to 1.25). The AUClast and the Cmax of the marketed tablet were 36.8% and 56.4% higher, respectively, under fed versus fasted conditions. Peficitinib was well tolerated. The marketed 150‐mg tablet formulation of peficitinib was bioequivalent to the developmental 150‐mg formulation, with no discernible safety differences. Bioavailability increased under fed conditions with the marketed tablet formulation.

Objectives Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We characterized tofacitinib efficacy/safety in Indian vs rest of the world (ROW; excluding India) RA patients. Methods Efficacy data were pooled for disease‐modified antirheumatic drug (DMARD) inadequate responders from Phase (P)3 studies. For Indian patients, ORAL Solo and ORAL Scan; ROW (excluding India), these studies plus ORAL Step, ORAL Sync, and ORAL Standard. Safety data also included ORAL Start (P3; methotrexate‐naïve) and ORAL Sequel (long‐term extension [LTE] study; data cut‐off March 2017) for Indian patients, and these studies plus A3921041 (LTE study; Japanese study) for ROW. Efficacy outcomes at months 3/6: American College of Rheumatology (ACR)20/50/70; Disease Activity Score in 28 joints, erythrocyte sedimentation rate remission/low disease activity; change from baseline in Health Assessment Questionnaire‐Disability Index. Incidence rates (IRs; patients with events/100 patient‐years) for adverse events of special interest (AESIs) were assessed throughout. Descriptive data underwent no formal comparison. Results One‐hundred‐and‐ninety‐seven Indian and 3879 ROW patients were included. Compared with ROW patients, Indian patients were younger, had lower body mass index, shorter RA duration, and higher baseline disease activity; most Indian patients were non‐smokers and all were biologic DMARD (bDMARD)‐naïve. Month 3 ACR20 rates with tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily/10 mg twice daily/placebo were 67.4%/82.1%/40.9% (India) and 59.0%/66.1%/28.2% (ROW), and month 6 rates were 76.2%/92.1%/88.9% (India) and 69.0%/74.2%/66.5% (ROW). Month 3/6 improvements in other outcomes were generally numerically greater with tofacitinib vs placebo, and similar in both populations. Compared with ROW, Indian patients had numerically fewer AEs/serious AEs, and similar IRs for discontinuations due to AEs and AESIs, except that tuberculosis (TB) IR was higher in Indian (IR = 1.21; 95% CI 0.49, 2.49) vs ROW patients (IR = 0.17; 95% CI 0.11, 0.25). Conclusions Tofacitinib efficacy/safety were similar in both populations, except TB IR, which was higher in Indian patients but in line with those in bDMARD‐treated RA patients from high‐risk countries (IR = 0.00‐2.56; TB IR >0.05 [World Health Organization]). Limitations included the small Indian population and baseline differences between populations.

Itacitinib is a novel, selective, Janus kinase 1 inhibitor in development for treatment of graft‐versus‐host disease. The objective of this study was to assess pharmacokinetics and safety of 300‐mg itacitinib dosed in participants with normal renal function (n = 10), severe renal impairment (n = 8), and end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (n = 8). Serial plasma and urine samples (urine from normal and severe groups only) were collected before dosing until 72 hours after dosing. In the ESRD group, itacitinib was evaluated in 2 periods, when dosed before (period 1) and after (period 2) a hemodialysis session. Geometric mean ratios (90% confidence interval) in participants with severe renal impairment, ESRD period 1 and ESRD period 2 relative to participants with normal renal function were 1.65 (1.13‐2.39), 0.71 (0.49‐1.03), and 0.83 (0.57‐1.20) for maximum plasma drug concentration and 2.23 (1.56‐3.18), 0.81 (0.57‐1.16), and 0.95 (0.66‐1.35) for area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time zero to infinity. Itacitinib was well tolerated, and 3 grade 1 treatment‐emergent adverse events were reported over the course of the study. Given the magnitude of exposure changes in participants with severe renal impairment or ESRD and the historic risk‐benefit profile, no dose adjustment is recommended for itacitinib in patients with impaired renal function, although the final dosage recommendation will be based on cumulative pharmacokinetics and safety from this study and from the pivotal graft‐versus‐host disease trial. Additionally, itacitinib may be administered to patients undergoing dialysis regardless of the time of dialysis.

After reviewing antiviral drugs (Brüssow Environmental Microbiology 2021) the present review summarizes the results of clinical trials with host-modifying drugs in COVID-19 patients. Clinical benefits were observed with different immunomodulators. The variable outcomes of trials with the interleukin 6 receptor inhibitor tocilizumab demonstrated that treatment benefits might only be present in specific subgroups of patients or in specific infection stages. A meta-analysis of trials with the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist anakinra showed a survival benefit only in patients with hyperinflammation. The Janus kinase inhibitor baricitinib is an anti-inflammatory treatment that showed a clinical benefit in hospitalized patients who do not yet need supplementary oxygen. In contrast, the corticosteroid dexamethasone showed mortality reducing effects that were limited to patients on ventilation or in need of supplementary oxygen. Therapeutic dose of anticoagulation met the criteria for inferiority in severe cases, but showed a small survival benefit in non-severe COVID-19 patients. Large trials with colchicine showed a small or no survival benefit. Azithromycin, an antibiotic with immunomodulatory activity, showed no effects in numerous clinical trials. The trials showed a clear need for new drugs instead of repurposed drugs and drugs that specifically target the SARS-CoV-2 virus or the pathology developing in COVID-19 patients. ispartof: ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY vol:23 issue:12 pages:7257-7270 ispartof: location:England status: published

BACKGROUND: Endoscopy is routine in trials of ulcerative colitis therapies. AIM: To investigate agreement between central and local Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES) reads in the OCTAVE programme METHODS: Flexible sigmoidoscopy was performed in tofacitinib induction (OCTAVE Induction 1&2, NCT01465763 and NCT01458951), maintenance (OCTAVE Sustain, NCT01458574) and open-label, long-term extension (OCTAVE Open, NCT01470612) studies. Kappa statistics and Bowker's tests evaluated agreement/disagreement between centrally and locally read MES, with potential determinants of differences analysed by logistic regression. RESULTS: Moderate-to-substantial agreement was observed between central and local reads at screening (77.1% agreement; kappa 0.62 [95% confidence interval 0.59-0.66]), OCTAVE Induction 1&2 week (Wk) 8 (63.8%; 0.62 [0.59-0.66]), OCTAVE Sustain Wk 52 (55.6%; 0.56 [0.50-0.62]) and for induction non-responders at OCTAVE Open month 2 (59.9%; 0.54 [0.48-0.60]). Where disagreements occurred, local reads were systematically lower than central reads at OCTAVE Induction 1&2 Wk 8, OCTAVE Sustain Wk 52 and OCTAVE Open month 2 (Bowker's P

PURPOSE To assess the capability of in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) using 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18 F-FDG) to quantify changes in inflammatory activity in response to tofacitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, over a timeframe of a few hours to few days in a preclinical model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS Twenty-four mice with collagen-induced arthritis in the following groups were assessed: Group 1, where the changes in PET measures for the extremity joints were evaluated at the peak and trough plasma drug levels after administration of a single dose of tofacitinib (4 hours apart); Group 2, where joint PET measures were assessed before treatment and after 6 days of administration of a daily dose of tofacitinib; and group 3 (controls), where joint PET measures were derived from the same mice, 6 days apart. RESULTS At about peak plasma levels of the drug after a single tofacitinib administration, there was a reduction in PET measures compared to pretreatment values, suggesting decreased inflammatory activity. These measures were equivalent to those obtained after 6 days of daily dosing by tofacitinib. However, PET measures at trough plasma levels of the drug from tofacitinib administration were significantly higher than those at peak plasma drug levels and equivalent to pretreatment measures. There were insignificant changes in PET measures for the control animals. CONCLUSION 18 F-FDG PET can detect changes in inflammatory activity occurring in response to the JAK inhibitor tofacitinib: (a) during peak and trough plasma drug levels, that is within mere hours of treatment; and (b) over a span of days.

Lung cancer patients with mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) benefit from treatments targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, both intrinsic and acquired resistance of tumors to TKIs are common, and EGFR variants have been identified that are resistant to multiple TKIs. In the present study, we characterized selected EGFR variants previously observed in lung cancer patients and expressed in a murine bone marrow pro-B Ba/F3 cell model. Among these EGFR variants, we report that an exon 20 deletion/insertion mutation S768insVGH is resistant to erlotinib (a first-generation TKI), but sensitive to osimertinib (a third-generation TKI). We also characterized a rare exon 21 germline variant, EGFR P848L, which transformed Ba/F3 cells and conferred resistance to multiple EGFR-targeting TKIs. Our analysis revealed that P848L (a) does not bind erlotinib; (b) is turned over less rapidly than L858R (a common tumor-derived EGFR mutation); (c) is not autophosphorylated at Tyr 1045 [the major docking site for Cbl proto-oncogene (c-Cbl) binding]; and (d) does not bind c-Cbl. Using viability assays including 300 clinically relevant targeted compounds, we observed that Ba/F3 cells transduced with EGFR P848L, S768insVGH, or L858R have very different drug-sensitivity profiles. In particular, EGFR P848L, but not L858R or S768insVGH, was sensitive to multiple Janus kinase 1/2 inhibitors. In contrast, cells driven by L858R, but not by P848L, were sensitive to multikinase MAPK/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase and ERK inhibitors including EGFR-specific TKIs. These observations suggest that continued investigation of rare TKI-resistant EGFR variants is warranted to identify optimal treatments for cancer.

Upadacitinib is a novel selective Janus kinase 1 inhibitor developed for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. The objective of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetics and safety of a single upadacitinib dose in subjects with normal renal function and in subjects with renal impairment. A total of 24 subjects between the ages of 18 and 75 years were assigned to 1 of 4 renal function groups based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (normal, mild, moderate, severe; N = 6/group). A single 15‐mg dose of upadacitinib extended‐release formulation was administered under fasting conditions. Serial plasma and urine samples were assayed to evaluate the effect of renal impairment on upadacitinib exposure through regression analysis and analysis of covariance. The primary analysis was the regression analysis of upadacitinib exposures versus estimated glomerular filtration rate. The point estimates for upadacitinib plasma exposure ratios (90% confidence interval [CI]) in subjects with mild, moderate, and severe renal impairment were 1.18 (90%CI, 1.06–1.32), 1.33 (90%CI, 1.11–1.59), and 1.44 (90%CI, 1.14–1.82) for area under the plasma concentration–time curve and 1.06 (90%CI, 0.92–1.23), 1.11 (90%CI, 0.88–1.40), and 1.14 (90%CI, 0.84–1.56) for maximum observed plasma concentration, respectively, relative to subjects with normal renal function based on the regression analysis. The analysis of covariance categorical analysis provided consistent results. Upadacitinib was well tolerated by all subjects, and no safety issues were identified in subjects with renal impairment. Renal impairment has a limited effect on upadacitinib pharmacokinetics. This is in agreement with the known limited role of urinary excretion in upadacitinib elimination. Based on the limited impact on exposure, no dose adjustment is necessary for upadacitinib in subjects with impaired renal function.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic eczematous, pruritic, inflammatory skin condition affecting children and adults. Tofacitinib is a Janus kinase inhibitor. The efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of 2% tofacitinib ointment twice daily have been evaluated in a 4‐week phase 2a multisite randomized, double‐blind, vehicle‐controlled, parallel‐group study (NCT02001181) in adult patients with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis and 2% to 20% body surface area (BSA) involvement. Tofacitinib ointment demonstrated significantly greater efficacy versus vehicle for all efficacy end points and had an acceptable safety profile. Predose and postdose pharmacokinetic samples were collected in week 2 and week 4. The objective of this analysis was to assess if predicted mean tofacitinib concentrations with topical application at higher treated BSA across age groups would exceed relevant concentration thresholds based on oral doses of tofacitinib. In this analysis, the pharmacokinetic concentrations were characterized using a linear mixed‐effects model. The model was used to predict concentrations for adults with higher (>20%) treatable BSA. Adult concentrations were used to extrapolate concentrations to a pediatric population (2 to 17 years) using allometric principles. The predicted systemic concentrations for 2% tofacitinib ointment in both adult and pediatric populations at treated BSA ≤50% for a mild to moderate atopic dermatitis population did not exceed those reported for the 10th percentile of observed oral tofacitinib 5‐mg twice‐daily doses in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The methodology described will enable analysis and prediction of systemic concentrations for topical agents.

Alopecia areata (AA) is a common autoimmune disease characterized by non-scarring hair loss. (1) Tofacitinib is an effective oral JAK 1/3 inhibitor that can block IL-2, IL-7 and IL-6 and is reported as an option for alopecia areata treatment.(2,3) Though some JAK inhibitors are possible new treatments for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease, no treatment of Covid-19 with tofacitinib has been reported to date and the withdrawal of the drug in patients with alopecia areata that become infected with the virus, is controversial.

Most of drugs could have certain mucocutaneous reactions and COVID‐19 drugs are not an exception that we focused. We systematically reviewed databases until August 15, 2020 and among initial 851 articles, 30 articles entered this study (20 case reports, 4 cohorts, and 6 controlled clinical trials). The types of reactions included AGEP, morbiliform drug eruptions, vasculitis, DRESS syndrome, urticarial vasculitis, and so on. The treatments have been used before side effects occur, included: antimalarial, anti‐viral, antibiotics, tocilizumab, enoxaparin and and so on. In pandemic, we found 0.004% to 4.15% of definite drug‐induced mucocutaneous reactions. The interval between drug usage and the eruption varied about few hours to 1 month; tightly dependent to the type of drug and hydroxychloroqine seems to be the drug with highest mean interval. Antivirals, antimalarials, azithromycin, and tocilizumab are most responsive drugs for adverse drug reactions, but antivirals especially in combination with antimalarial drugs are in the first step. Types of skin reactions are usually morbilliform/exanthematous maculopapular rashes or urticarial eruptions, which mostly may manage by steroids during few days. In the setting of HCQ, specific reactions like AGEP should be considered. Lopinavir/ritonavir is the most prevalent used drug among antivirals with the highest skin adverse reaction; ribarivin and remdisivir also could induce cutaneous drug reactions but favipiravir has no or less adverse effects. Logically the rate of dermatologic adverse effects among anivirals may relate to their frequency of usage. Rarely, potentially life‐threatening reactions may occur. Better management strategies could achieve by knowing more about drug‐induced mucocutaneous presentations of COVID‐19.

The purpose of the present two phase 1 studies was to assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics for topical application of a novel Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, JTE-052, in Japanese healthy adult male volunteers and Japanese adult patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Additionally, exploratory investigation was performed on the efficacy for disease severity and pruritus score in AD patients. In the QBX1-1 study, the cutaneous safety of JTE-052 ointment by a patch test and a photo patch test was assessed in an intra-individual comparative study using placebo ointment, white petrolatum and non-application as comparators. The study demonstrated that JTE-052 ointment would be associated with a low potential for phototoxicity but had no potential for skin irritation or photoallergy. In the QBX1-2 study, it was revealed that the systemic exposure to JTE-052 in both healthy volunteers with normal skin and AD patients with inflamed skin was low in application of not only 1% but also 3% JTE-052 ointment. JTE-052 ointments of 1% and 3% were generally safe and well tolerated in both populations. In a repeated twice-daily application for 7 days, the efficacy of JTE-052 ointment to AD patients was observed with both 1% and 3% ointments in the exploratory investigations evaluated by Eczema Area and Severity Index, Investigator's Global Assessment and Numeric Rating Scale assessments. The mean scores for each assessment declined from the baseline throughout the study. These results suggest that the treatment of JTE-052 ointment is generally safe and effective in AD patients, although further large confirmatory studies are needed.

Baricitinib is an oral inhibitor of Janus kinases (JAKs), selective for JAK1 and 2. It demonstrated dose-dependent efficacy in patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a phase IIb study up to 24 weeks. Population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PopPK/PD) models were developed to characterize concentration-time profiles and dose/exposure-response (D/E-R) relationships for the key efficacy (proportion of patients achieving American College of Rheumatology 20%, 50%, or 70% response rate) and safety endpoints (incidence of anemia) for the phase IIb study. The modeling suggested that 4 mg q.d. was likely to offer the optimum risk/benefit balance, whereas 2 mg q.d. had the potential for adequate efficacy. In addition, at the same total daily dose, a twice-daily regimen is not expected to provide an advantage over q.d. dosing for the efficacy or safety endpoints. The model-based simulations formed the rationale for key aspects of dosing, such as dose levels and dosing frequency for phase III development.

Objective: Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We compared patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients with RA treated with tofacitinib or placebo in combination with conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Methods: In a 12-month, Phase 3, randomized controlled trial (ORAL Sync), patients (n=795) with active RA and previous inadequate response to therapy with ≥1 conventional or biologic DMARD were randomized 4:4:1:1 to tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily (BID), tofacitinib 10 mg BID, placebo advanced to 5 mg BID, or placebo to 10 mg BID, in combination with stable background DMARD therapy. PROs included Patient Global Assessment of Arthritis (PtGA), Patient Assessment of Arthritis Pain (Pain), physical function (Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index [HAQ-DI]), health-related quality of life (Short Form-36 [SF-36]), fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue [FACIT-F]), and sleep (Medical Outcomes Study Sleep [MOS Sleep]). Results: At Month 3, statistically significant improvements from baseline versus placebo were reported in PtGA, Pain, HAQ-DI, all eight SF-36 domains, FACIT-F, and MOS Sleep with tofacitinib 10 mg BID, and in PtGA, Pain, HAQ-DI, seven SF-36 domains, FACIT-F, and MOS Sleep with tofacitinib 5 mg BID. Improvements were sustained to Month 12. Significantly more tofacitinib-treated patients reported improvements ≥minimum clinically important differences at Month 3 versus placebo in all PROs, except the SF-36 role-emotional domain (significant for tofacitinib 10 mg BID). Conclusion: Patients with active RA treated with tofacitinib combined with background conventional DMARD therapy reported sustained, significant, and clinically meaningful improvements in PROs versus placebo. (NCT00856544) This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor. An integrated analysis was conducted to evaluate dosage optimality for tofacitinib in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and the impact of body weight on optimality in this patient population. Data were pooled from one phase IIb trial (2, 5, and 15 mg twice daily (b.i.d.)) and four phase III trials (5 and 10 mg b.i.d.). A longitudinal exposure-response model for Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) improvement (percent change from baseline) was established. Body weight influenced potency; heavier subjects require higher doses to achieve comparable benefit to lighter subjects. Disease severity, sex, and prior biologic usage were also predictive of response. The 10 and 5 mg doses were predicted to achieve 81% and 65%, respectively, of the maximum effect based on a 75% improvement in PASI. The greater efficacy of 10 mg over 5 mg was clinically meaningful.

Peficitinib is an orally administered, once-daily Janus kinase inhibitor currently in development for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. It has been shown to be a P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate in vitro. The effects of verapamil, an inhibitor of the efflux pump P-gp, on the pharmacokinetic profile of peficitinib were assessed in this open-label, single-center, single-sequence, crossover drug-interaction study. Twenty-four healthy volunteers received a single 150-mg dose of peficitinib on days 1 and 12 of a 14-day treatment period and received verapamil 80 mg 3 times daily on days 5-14. Repeated-dose administration of verapamil increased mean peficitinib AUCinf , AUClast , and Cmax by 27%, 27%, and 39%, respectively, and also increased the mean AUC and Cmax of peficitinib metabolites H1, H2, and H4. Coadministration of verapamil with peficitinib 150 mg was generally well tolerated. Overall, the most commonly reported adverse event was headache, which occurred in 5 subjects (21%); all reported adverse events were grade 1 severity, with the exception of 1 grade 2 incident of vomiting.

This is the first reported case of FG during administration of a JAK inhibitor. The case appeared to be a less serious manifestation when first examined; however, extremely serious clinical features developed immediately after the withdrawal of TOF.

Segmental vitiligo often presents in childhood and tends to be more recalcitrant to therapy than generalized vitiligo. Recently, Janus kinase inhibitors have emerged as a promising treatment option, with some reports suggesting that concomitant ultraviolet light exposure may enhance therapeutic response. Here, we present a child with segmental vitiligo who responded rapidly and completely to treatment with tofacitinib cream plus phototherapy.

BACKGROUND: Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor being investigated for psoriasis. A Phase 3 withdrawal/re-treatment study (NCT01186744; OPT Retreatment) showed tofacitinib re-treatment was effective in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis.OBJECTIVES: To describe the effects of tofacitinib withdrawal/re-treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and disease symptoms measured by patient-reported outcomes (PROs).METHODS: The study was divided into initial treatment, treatment withdrawal, and re-treatment periods. Initial treatment: patients were randomized to receive tofacitinib 5 (n = 331) or 10 mg (n = 335) BID for 24 weeks. Treatment withdrawal: patients who achieved both ≥ 75% reduction in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score from baseline and Physician's Global Assessment of 'clear'/'almost clear' at Week (W)24 received placebo (withdrawal) or the previous dose (continuous treatment). Re-treatment: at relapse (> 50% loss of W24 PASI response) or at W40, patients received their initial tofacitinib dose. PROs included: Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Itch Severity Item (ISI), Short Form-36 (SF-36) and Patient's Global Assessment (PtGA).RESULTS: After initial treatment with tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg BID, substantial and significant improvements were reported for mean DLQI (baseline: 12.6 and 12.6; W24: 5.1 and 2.6) and ISI (baseline: 6.7 and 6.9; W24: 2.9 and 1.6). Patients continuously treated with tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg BID maintained those improvements through Week 56 (DLQI: 3.0 and 2.1; ISI: 2.3 and 1.4). By W40, patients withdrawn from tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg BID showed worsening in DLQI (5.0 and 6.2) and ISI (3.7 and 4.0) scores; improvements were regained upon re-treatment (W56, DLQI: 3.4 and 2.4; ISI: 2.2 and 1.6). Similar results were reported for PtGA and SF-36.CONCLUSION: Continuous tofacitinib treatment provided sustained improvement in HRQoL and disease symptoms. Patients randomized to treatment withdrawal lost initial improvements. Upon re-treatment, improvements were recaptured to levels comparable to those seen with continuous treatment.

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here, the safety and efficacy data from five Phase 2 studies of tofacitinib in patients with RA are summarized. Tofacitinib 1–30 mg twice daily was investigated, as monotherapy and in combination with methotrexate, in patients with RA. Tofacitinib 20 mg once daily was investigated in one study. Tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg twice daily were selected for investigation in Phase 3 studies; therefore, the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg twice daily in Phase 2 studies are the focus of this review. Tofacitinib ≥ 5 mg twice daily was efficacious in a dose‐dependent manner, with statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in the signs and symptoms of RA and patient‐reported outcomes. The safety profile was consistent across studies. The efficacy and safety profile of tofacitinib in Phase 2 studies supported its further investigation and the selection of tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily and tofacitinib 10 mg twice daily for evaluation in Phase 3 studies.

Two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are reported that had the objective to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of ASP015K (peficitinib), a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, in healthy subjects. The single-dose study included 7 male groups (3-300 mg) and 2 female groups (30 or 200 mg), n = 8/group (6 on ASP015K and 2 on placebo in each group). The multiple-dose study included 1 female and 3 male groups, n = 12/group (9 on ASP015K and 3 on placebo in each group), who received ASP015K (30 mg) or placebo every 12 hours (twice a day) for 14 days. In the single-dose study, plasma ASP015K concentration increased dose-proportionally. Food increased ASP015K exposure (AUCinf ) by 27%. Mean peak JAK inhibition increased with dose, from 6% at 4 hours (median) following ASP015K 3 mg to 93% (range, 89%-98%) at 2 hours (median) after ASP015K 300 mg. In the multiple-dose study, ASP015K plasma exposure reached steady state by day 3. On day 14, mean ASP015K peak concentration was 38%-65% higher than after the first dose; peak JAK inhibition following 100 or 200 mg twice daily was >85%. The most common adverse events (AEs) were neutropenia, headache, and abdominal pain; no serious AEs occurred. The safety findings at pharmacologically effective doses of ASP015K support further clinical development.

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor that is being investigated for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Japanese patients aged 20 years or more with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis were double‐blindly randomized 1:1 to tofacitinib 5 or 10 mg b.i.d. for 16 weeks, open‐label 10 mg b.i.d. for 4 weeks, then variable 5 or 10 mg b.i.d. to Week 52. Primary end‐points at Week 16 were the proportion of patients achieving at least a 75% reduction in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI75) and Physician's Global Assessment of “clear” or “almost clear” (PGA response) for psoriasis, and 20% or more improvement in American College of Rheumatology criteria (ACR20) for patients with psoriatic arthritis. Safety was assessed throughout. Eighty‐seven patients met eligibility criteria for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (5 mg b.i.d., n = 43; 10 mg b.i.d., n = 44), 12 met eligibility criteria for psoriatic arthritis (5 mg b.i.d., n = 4; 10 mg b.i.d., n = 8) including five who met both criteria (10 mg b.i.d.). At Week 16, 62.8% and 72.7% of patients achieved PASI75 with tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg b.i.d., respectively; 67.4% and 68.2% achieved PGA responses; all patients with psoriatic arthritis achieved ACR20. Responses were maintained through Week 52. Adverse events occurred in 83% of patients through Week 52, including four (4.3%) serious adverse events and three (3.2%) serious infections (all herpes zoster). No malignancies, cardiovascular events or deaths occurred. Tofacitinib (both doses) demonstrated efficacy in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis through 52 weeks; safety findings were generally consistent with prior studies.

Tofacitinib (Xeljanz) is an oral janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor indicated for the second-line treatment of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis in adults. This article discusses its properties, efficacy and adverse effects.

Baricitinib (Olumiant) is a new oral janus kinase inhibitor licensed for the second-line treatment of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis. This article summarises its efficacy, side-effects and place in therapy.

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor. This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study was the first evaluation of tofacitinib in humans. The objectives were to characterize the safety and tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics of escalating single tofacitinib doses in healthy subjects. Tofacitinib (0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, 10, 30, 60, and 100 mg) or placebo was administered as oral powder for constitution. For each dose, 7-9 subjects were randomized to tofacitinib and 3-5 subjects to placebo. Ninety-five males and females (age range 19-45) completed the study. Forty-nine treatment-emergent all-causality adverse events (AEs) were observed; nausea and headache were the most frequently reported. Tofacitinib PK was characterized by rapid absorption (time to peak serum concentration [Tmax ] 0.5-1 hour), rapid elimination (mean terminal half-lives 2.3-3.1 hours), and dose-proportional systemic exposures (peak serum concentration [Cmax ] and area under the serum concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity [AUC0-∞ ]). No appreciable correlation was observed between tofacitinib dose and lymphocyte subset counts. Single-dose tofacitinib up to 100 mg in healthy subjects had a safety profile of mostly mild AEs, and no deaths, serious AEs, severe AEs or discontinuations due to AEs.

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. We report here an evaluation of the pharmacokinetics of a single 10 mg dose of tofacitinib in healthy volunteers (n = 6) and subjects with mild (n = 6) or moderate (n = 6) hepatic impairment. Compared to healthy volunteers, tofacitinib area under the plasma concentration-time profile from time 0 to infinity (AUCinf ) and maximum observed concentration (Cmax ) in subjects with mild hepatic impairment were not altered. In subjects with moderate hepatic impairment, the geometric mean AUCinf and Cmax of tofacitinib were increased (90% confidence intervals of percentage increase) by approximately 65% (25%, 117%) and 49% (12%, 97%), respectively. A single dose of tofacitinib 10 mg resulted in two treatment-emergent adverse events (AE) in the mild hepatic impairment group, and one in the moderate hepatic impairment group; they were not considered related to study treatment. There were no deaths, serious AEs, discontinuations due to AEs, or dose reductions due to AEs. Data from this study were critical to deriving dose adjustments for subjects with hepatic impairment.

Tofacitinib is a novel, oral Janus kinase inhibitor. The potential for drug-drug interactions (DDIs) between tofacitinib and drugs that undergo renal tubular secretion was evaluated using metformin as a probe transporter substrate, and genotyping for organic cation transporter (OCT) 1, OCT2 and multidrug and toxin extrusion 1 polymorphisms. Twenty-four healthy male subjects completed this open-label, fixed-sequence study. Subjects were administered a single oral metformin 500 mg dose on Days 1 and 4, and multiple oral tofacitinib 30 mg twice daily doses on Days 2, 3, and 4. Subjects underwent serial blood and urine samplings (Days 1 and 4) to estimate metformin pharmacokinetics. A single blood sample for tofacitinib was collected 2 hours after the morning dose (Day 4). The 90% confidence intervals for the ratios of maximum plasma concentration, area under the curve and renal clearance of metformin, with and without tofacitinib, were contained within the 80-125% acceptance range commonly used to establish a lack of DDI. No deaths, serious adverse events (AEs), severe AEs or discontinuations due to AEs were reported. The study confirms tofacitinib is unlikely to impact the pharmacokinetics of drugs that undergo renal tubular secretion, and concurs with its weak in vitro OCT2 inhibitory profile.

The pharmacokinetics (PK) of tofacitinib were assessed in patients with mild (Cockcroft-Gault creatinine clearance >50 and ≤80 mL/min), moderate (≥30 and ≤50 mL/min), and severe (

Background Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease with a significant impact on health–related quality of life (HRQoL). Tofacitinib (CP-690,550) is a novel, oral Janus kinase inhibitor that is being investigated as a targeted immunomodulator. Objective This Phase 2b study assessed three tofacitinib dosage regimens vs. placebo to characterize the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in patients with moderate–to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis. We report the patient-reported outcome (PRO) data. Methods A total of 197 patients were randomized to tofacitinib 2, 5, 15 mg twice daily or placebo for 12 weeks. Six PRO questionnaires were completed during the study: Dermatology Life Quality Index, Itch Severity Score (ISS), Short Form-36 questionnaire, version 2 (SF-36), Pain/Discomfort Assessment (PDA), Patient Satisfaction with Study Medication (PSSM) item and Patient Global Assessment of psoriasis. Results Treatment with tofacitinib resulted in significant, dose-dependent improvements in several PROs vs. placebo from week 2 onwards. At week 12, least squares mean changes from baseline for Dermatology life quality index, ISS and SF-36 mental component scores were significantly greater for all active drug arms vs. placebo (P

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT • Tofacitinib (CP-690,550) is a novel, oral Janus kinase inhibitor being investigated as a targeted immunomodulator and disease-modifying therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. • Non-renal elimination accounts for 70% of the total clearance of tofacitinib and the metabolism is primarily mediated by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4. • This study was required to determine the effect of tofacitinib on the in vivo pharmacokinetics of a sensitive CYP3A4 substrate. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS • The pharmacokinetics of midazolam, a sensitive CYP3A4 substrate, are not altered when co-administered with tofacitinib in healthy subjects. • Tofacitinib is unlikely to affect the clearance of drugs metabolized by CYP enzymes. • There is no need for dose adjustments of CYP substrates when co-administered with tofacitinib. AIMS To investigate inhibitive and inductive effects of tofacitinib (CP-690,550), a Janus kinase inhibitor, on CYP3A4 function via in vitro and in vivo studies. METHODS In vitro experiments were conducted to assess the inhibition and induction potential of tofacitinib for major drug metabolizing enzymes (CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4). A phase 1, randomized, open-label, two-way crossover study (NCT00902460) was conducted to confirm the lack of inhibitive/inductive effect on a sensitive CYP3A4 substrate, midazolam, in healthy subjects. Midazolam pharmacokinetics were assessed over 24 h following single dose 2 mg administration prior to administering tofacitinib and after twice daily dosing of tofacitinib 30 mg for 6 days. The primary endpoint was midazolam area under the concentration–time profile, from time 0 to infinity (AUC(0,∞)). RESULTS In vitro studies demonstrated low potential for CYP inhibition (IC50 estimates tofacitinib >30 µm), CYP3A4 mRNA induction (observed at tofacitinib concentrations ≥25 µm) and no effect on enzymatic activity of CYP substrates. In the human study, AUC(0,∞) adjusted geometric mean ratio for midazolam plus tofacitinib to midazolam alone was 103.97% [90% confidence interval (CI) 95.57, 113.12], wholly within the pre-specified acceptance region (80, 125). The 90% CI for the ratio of adjusted geometric means of maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) (95.98, 108.87) was also wholly within this acceptance region. CONCLUSIONS These data confirm a lack of an inhibitive or inductive effect of tofacitinib on CYP3A activity in humans and, in conjunction with in vitro data, support the conclusion that tofacitinib is unlikely to influence the CYP enzyme system as a whole.

Tasocitinib (CP-690,550), a selective inhibitor of the Janus kinase (JAK) family, is being developed for the treatment of several autoimmune diseases and prevention of allograft rejection. The aim of this study was to characterize the effect of tasocitinib on QT interval. Sixty male and female healthy adults were enrolled in a single-dose, randomized, 3-period, crossover study of a supratherapeutic dose of tasocitinib (100 mg), placebo, and moxifloxacin 400 mg. Triplicate electrocardiograms were performed at predose baseline and serially over 24 hours postdose in each treatment period. The upper limits of the 2-sided 90% confidence intervals (CIs) for the difference in QTc interval, corrected using Fridericia correction (QTcF), between tasocitinib and placebo were less than 5 ms at all time points. Concentration-QTcF analysis showed that the predicted mean change (90% CI) in QTcF at the observed mean C(max) was -0.12 (-1.18, 0.94) ms. For moxifloxacin, mean (90% CI) estimates of the change in QTcF from placebo were 11.3 (9.4, 13.1) and 12.5 (10.7, 14.4) ms at 2 and 4 hours, respectively, thereby establishing study sensitivity. A single supratherapeutic dose of tasocitinib 100 mg was well tolerated and not associated with QTc prolongation.

A sensitive and selective liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for determining the concentrations of novel Janus kinase inhibitor ASP015K and its sulfated metabolite M2 in rat plasma. This method involves solid-phase extraction (SPE) from 25 μL of rat plasma. LC separation was performed on an Inertsil PH-3 column (100 mm L ×4.6 mm I.D., 5 µm) with a mobile phase consisting of 10 mM ammonium acetate and methanol under linear gradient conditions. Analytes were introduced to the LC-MS/MS through an electrospray ionization source and detected in positive-ion mode using selected reaction monitoring. Standard curves were linear from 0.25 to 500 ng/mL (r ≥0.9964). This assay enabled quantification of ASP015K and M2 at a concentration as low as 0.25 ng/mL in rat plasma. Validation data demonstrated that the method is selective, sensitive and accurate. Further, we also successfully applied this method to a preclinical pharmacokinetic study in rats. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.