Xeljanz is a type of medication known as a biologic. Biologic medications are much more ubiquitous among pharmaceutical resources than most people are aware.

A biologic is a medication derived from the blood, proteins, viruses, and living organisms, according to GoodRx. The smallest element can be broken down from the cellular level and used to render disease treatment and create preventative or palliative care regimens.

An example of a common biologic is Lantus—a long-acting form of insulin prescribed for type-2 and type-1 diabetics over the age of six. Avastin is another biologic which is useful to control the overgrowth of blood vessels in certain eye conditions and also in cancer treatment because it targets the blood vessels which would feed certain cancers and help them grow rapidly.

Xeljanz was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012, according to Healthline. The agency questioned the drug’s safety, however. The drug was the first in its class to be approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Xeljanz inhibits Janus kinase—a cellular process that often causes visible inflammation and joint distortion in RA. Janus kinase is part of the body’s immune system response.

In addition to RA, Xeljanz was later approved in 2017 and 2018 for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis and moderate to severe active ulcerative colitis respectively. The dosages vary depending upon which condition is being addressed by its use. Xeljanz has been approved 10 milligrams twice daily for ulcerative colitis, but only five milligrams twice daily for RA.

Is Xeljanz a First-Line Course of Treatment for RA?

According to the Mayo Clinic, drugs considered first line treatment for RA are disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). While there is no cure for this disease, these drugs slow the disease’s progressive rampage on the joints. There are several types and brand names of DMARDs, but the most common is methotrexate sold as Trexall or Otrexup.

When a patient doesn’t respond to methotrexate or other related DMARDs, that is when a biologic like Xeljanz might enter the picture, according to most physicians who specialize in treating this condition. That said, the popularity of Xeljanz is expected to grow exponentially through the year 2023, as indicated by Healthline. According to this source, Pfizer’s profit is estimated to reach $18.2 billion by that year.

Are There Health Concerns Regarding Xeljanz?

The FDA required Pfizer to conduct ongoing clinic safety trials when it approved Xeljanz for treatment use in managing RA in 2012. Recently, this drug and device oversight agency released a safety communication alert indicating that the study has found a twice daily 10-milligram dose problematic for RA sufferers.

This dose has shown to cause an increase in risk for developing pulmonary embolism—blood clots in the lungs which can cause respiratory distress and arrest and bring on sudden death. Participants in the study have all been reduced to the twice-daily approved five-milligram dose as a result of these findings.

Patients should not eliminate Xeljanz without first consulting their prescribing physician. They should be on the lookout and seek immediate medical treatment for possible side effects like shortness of breath, chest or back pain, coughing up blood, sweating profusely for no apparent cause, and having a bluish tone to their complexion.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented 
for informational purposes only.