As an ophthalmologist specializing in eye care, I’m here to shed light on a recent development in the treatment of non-infectious uveitis. At Shankar Netrika Eye Centre in Mumbai, we strive to keep our patients informed about the latest advancements in eye care, to provide them with the best possible treatment options. So, let’s discuss this new development.
Uveitis, a form of eye inflammation, can be tricky to treat. However, recent research indicates that a medication called Filgotinib could offer promising results. This drug, an oral Janus kinase 1 inhibitor, is presently used to treat certain rheumatic conditions, but it’s not yet approved for use in the United States.
The HUMBOLDT trial aimed to explore the potential effectiveness of Filgotinib in treating non-infectious uveitis. The trial was a double-masked, randomized controlled clinical trial conducted at 26 centres across seven countries.
The trial involved 74 adult patients with a history of non-infectious intermediate or posterior uveitis. These patients had persistent inflammation despite undergoing oral steroid therapy for more than two weeks. They were randomly assigned to receive either Filgotinib 200 mg daily or a placebo for a duration of 52 weeks.
The primary objective of this trial was to observe the proportion of patients who experienced treatment failure by the 24th week. Secondary objectives included the time to treatment failure after the 6th week and the time to development of macular edema after the 6th week.
The trial found that a significantly lower proportion of patients who were given Filgotinib experienced treatment failure at week 24, compared to those who received a placebo. Furthermore, those treated with Filgotinib were less likely to have treatment failure on or after week 6.
However, the study was prematurely terminated due to unrelated business reasons, which led to a lower number of patients being assigned to the treatment group than initially planned. This early termination also inhibited the collection of additional efficacy or safety data.
Despite this, the study indicates a potential alternative treatment option for non-infectious uveitis, as currently only one therapy, adalimumab, is approved in the US. However, treatment failure has been observed with adalimumab. While more studies are needed for a comprehensive understanding of Filgotinib’s effectiveness, the HUMBOLDT study’s findings do hint at its potential.
Here at Shankar Netrika Eye Centre, we continually monitor such developments to provide the best possible eye care to our patients. For further information or to book an appointment, visit our website or reach out to us directly.
Article Source: JAMA Ophthalmology, in press 2024.
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