Filgotinib for treating axial spondyloarthritis

Filgotinib is in clinical development for the treatment of axial spondyloarthritis. Axial spondyloarthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease predominantly affecting the joints. The spine and sacroiliac joints are most primarily affected, however joints in the limbs (e.g. shoulders), as well as other areas of the body such as tendons, ligaments, eyes, and bowels can also be affected. The main symptom of axial spondyloarthritis is back pain, which usually starts in the lower back or buttocks and lasts more than 3 months. Symptoms in other affected joints can include stiffness, swelling and pain. Current treatment options for axial spondyloarthritis include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to control symptoms, and specialised disease modifying drugs if symptoms do not improve with NSAIDs. However, half of patients starting these specialised drugs do not respond adequately to treatment.