Baricitinib beats placebo and adalimumab in Ph III RA study

US drugmakers Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) and Incyte (Nasdaq: INCY) have released positive top-line results of RA-BEAM, the fourth successful Phase III study of baricitinib, an investigational medicine for patients with moderately-to-severely active rheumatoid arthritis.

Incyte’s shares advanced 3.9% to $105.16 on the news by mid-morning today, while Lilly’s stock, which tumbled recently on the company’s decision to halt development of its atherosclerosis drug candidate evacetrapib (The Pharma Letter October 12), was barely changed.

The study met its primary objective of demonstrating superiority compared to placebo after 12 weeks of treatment based on ACR20 response – a standard clinical measure that represents at least a 20% improvement in RA disease activity.