The FDA approved sarilumab (Kevzara) for the treatment of polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) for patients weighing ≥ 63 kg. It is estimated that nearly 300,000 children in the US have JIA, with 1 in 4 having pJIA. The drug, developed by Sanofi and Regeneron, is an interleukin 6 receptor blocker. Sarilumab was first approved in 2017 for rheumatoid arthritis and in 2023 for polymyalgia rheumatica. It is administered subcutaneously every 2 weeks and can be used alone or with other drugs. Common side effects include nasopharyngitis, neutropenia, upper respiratory tract infection, and injection site erythema. The safety profile in pJIA trials was similar to that in RA patients.
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FDA OKs Sarilumab for Polyarticular JIA
