Pfizer’s Arthritis Pill Gets FDA Panel’s Okay

An FDA advisory panel has recommended the approval of Pfizer’s rheumatoid arthritis drug tofacitinib. The JAK3 inhibitor is widely viewed as a potential blockbuster drug. The panel voted 7-2 in favor of approving the drug for use in patients with rheumatoid arthritis whose disease has failed to improve with other treatments. The committee raised concerns over the safety of long-term use of tofacitinib, leading analysts to believe FDA might approve only a low dose of the drug. Pfizer is trying to revive growth after the recent loss of patent protection for its top-selling drug, Lipitor. Analysts are projecting that tofacitinib could bring in peak sales of up to $2 billion per year.