Experience with Tofacitinib in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: Data from a United States Claims Database

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Pharmacology
• Real-world evidence

Background:

• Tofacitinib is an oral small molecule Janus kinase inhibitor approved for ulcerative colitis (UC) treatment.
• Understanding real-world effectiveness and outcomes is crucial for guiding clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate real-world data on tofacitinib use in US patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).
• To assess tofacitinib adherence, persistence, oral corticosteroid (OCS) use, and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 276 US patients with UC initiating tofacitinib between 2018-2019 using IBM® MarketScan® claims database.
• Assessed 12-month pre- and post-index periods for tofacitinib adherence/persistence, OCS use, HCRU, and costs.
• Patients were categorized as bio-naïve or bio-experienced.

Main Results:

• At 12 months, 43.8% of patients discontinued tofacitinib; median adherence was 0.82.
• Oral corticosteroid (OCS) use decreased by 40.4% in patients tapering OCS post-index.
• Reductions in outpatient visits were observed for both bio-naïve and bio-experienced patients. UC-related costs decreased by US$12,448 annually in bio-experienced patients.

Conclusions:

• The majority of US patients with UC initiating tofacitinib remained on therapy at 12 months in this real-world study.
• Tofacitinib treatment led to reduced OCS use and decreased HCRU and costs, particularly in bio-experienced patients.
• Real-world data support the sustained use and potential benefits of tofacitinib in ulcerative colitis management.