AbbVie announced that the European Commission (EC) granted marketing authorization to RINVOQ^® (upadacitinib; 15 mg, once daily) for the treatment of giant cell arteritis (GCA) in adult patients. RINVOQ is the first and only oral JAK inhibitor approved in the EU, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, for the treatment of adult patients with GCA.

"GCA is a challenging and often debilitating condition. Patients may endure headaches, jaw pain and muscle aches, with many fearing sudden and permanent vision loss, said Prof. Dr. med. Wolfgang Schmidt, M.D., MACR, Waldfriede Hospital, Department of Rheumatology, Berlin, Germany, and SELECT-GCA trial investigator. "Results from the SELECT-GCA trial show that patients can achieve sustained remission and reduce their cumulative steroid exposure with RINVOQ, addressing important patient goals in the treatment of GCA."

GCA is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the temporal and other cranial arteries, the aorta, and other large and medium arteries. GCA generally impacts patients older than 50 years, most commonly between the ages of 70 and 80 years.

"The EC approval of RINVOQ in GCA provides patients and physicians with a new treatment option and the first oral advanced therapy for adults living with GCA – a particularly vulnerable population due to older age and frequent comorbidities, said Roopal Thakkar, M.D., executive vice president, research & development, chief scientific officer, AbbVie. "This exciting milestone demonstrates our commitment to ongoing research and expanding indications in areas of high unmet need to help patients achieve better outcomes, including sustained disease remission."