Incyte’s JAK1 blocker meets goals in Phase III trials

US biotech Incyte (Nasdaq: INCY) has reported positive results from two Phase III trials of povorcitinib, an oral JAK1 inhibitor.

The company said the trials, which tested the drug as an option for moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), met their primary endpoints and showed a consistent safety profile.

The STOP-HS1 and STOP-HS2 studies assessed the proportion of patients achieving at least a 50% reduction in abscess and inflammatory nodule count without worsening of other symptoms. At 12 weeks, the response rates were around 40% for both the low and high doses, compared with approximately 30% in the placebo group.