Class Switching Outcomes in RA: Key Findings From the SELECT-SWITCH Trial

In 'Class Switching Outcomes in RA: Key Findings From the SELECT-SWITCH Trial,' the expert rheumatologist Dr. Julia Buchfuhrer examined the following critical questions:

Let's dig into the SELECT-SWITCH trial data for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study looked at upadacitinib versus adalimumab in patients who had an inadequate response to a prior tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor. What were the key findings, and what did the data show about the potential advantage of moving to a Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor in this population?

Post hoc analyses from other switch trials (SELECT-COMPARE/SELECT-NEXT) are now adding more granularity to the picture for RA treatment. What have those analyses revealed, and how does that additional layer of data change how the SELECT-SWITCH results should be interpreted?

Dr. Buchfuhrer discussed SELECT-SWITCH trial findings showing that patients switched to upadacitinib after failing a non-adalimumab TNF inhibitor reached low disease activity and remission at roughly double the rate of those switched to adalimumab instead, along with reassuring five-year post hoc safety data showing no new safety signals.

Throughout the conversation, the experts provided a comprehensive reflection on the field and the factors that may shape how clinicians approach care moving forward.

Our next episode, 'Setting Clear Goals and Acting on Them: A Framework for RA Treatment Sequencing,' further explores rheumatoid arthritis, highlighting closing guidance on frequent reassessment, recognizing inadequate treatment response, and selecting a substantially different therapy when a change is warranted.