Playing JAKs

A desire to improve upon marketed autoimmune drug Xeljanz tofacitinib, coupled with interesting biological findings, led Pfizer Inc. to develop a portfolio of selective Janus kinase inhibitors that are taking the target into new disease areas.

A broad Phase II program is designed to study each molecule in one or a couple of lead indications that could give hints about how it will perform in several others. Data emerging in the 2018-19 time frame will help the pharma find the most likely indications for monotherapy and combination regimens...