Safety of Biologics Approved for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Autoimmune Diseases: A Disproportionality Analysis from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)

Rising cases of drug-induced pulmonary fibrosis: Analysis of the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database, 2000-2022

PURPOSE

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a severe, progressive disease, which may be caused by exposure to certain medications.

METHODS

We queried the U.S. FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) from 2000 to 2022, using the search terms "pulmonary fibrosis" and "idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis" and excluded reports with patients under the age of 18 years, and patients with unknown sex or age. Reports were sorted by generic drug names, counted, and plotted over time using a best-fit trendline based on an exponential function.

RESULTS

From 2000 to 2022, there were 24 095 935 adverse drug events reported in FAERS, of which 17 520 (0.07%) were reported as PF. After excluding reports containing patients with unknown age (5255, 30%), sex (122, 0.7%), and age below 18 years old (155, 0.9%), our study included 11 988 reports. The mean age of the study sample was 66.5 ± 13.1 years, and 6248 patients (52.1%) were male. Plotting the 11 988 reports by year revealed an exponential best fit line (R2 = 0.88) with a positive slope over time. The top five drug classes associated with PF were disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs, 39.4%), antineoplastic agents (26.4%), cardiovascular agents (12.6%), corticosteroids (4.6%), and immunosuppressive agents (4.0%).

CONCLUSION

A 23-year analysis of the FAERS database revealed exponentially increasing adverse event reports of PF. Significant annual increases in reporting of PF suspected with DMARDs and antineoplastic agents were identified. Our study highlights important trends, which should be used to guide PF research related to drugs of potential importance.

Anti-Drug Antibodies in the Biological Therapy of Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases

Autoimmune rheumatic diseases are a cluster of heterogeneous disorders that share some clinical symptoms such as pain, tissue damage, immune deregulation, and the presence of inflammatory mediators. Biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs are some of the most effective treatments for rheumatic diseases. However, their molecular and pharmacological complexity makes them potentially immunogenic and capable of inducing the development of anti-drug antibodies. TNF inhibitors appear to be the main contributors to immunogenicity because they are widely used, especially in rheumatoid arthritis. Immunogenicity response on these treatments is crucial since the appearance of ADAs has consequences in terms of safety and efficacy. Therefore, this review proposes an overview of the immunogenicity of biological agents used in autoimmune rheumatic diseases highlighting the prevalence of anti-drug antibodies.

A bibliometric analysis of research progress on pharmacovigilance and cancer from 2002 to 2021

The complexity of cancer itself and treatment makes pharmacovigilance critical in oncology. Despite rapid progress on pharmacovigilance and cancer research in the past two decades, there has been no bibliometric analysis in this field. Therefore, based on the Web of Science database, we used CiteSpace, VOS-viewer and R-bibliometrix to analyze and visualize publications, and described the development trend and research hot spots in this field. 502 publications were included. The development of pharmacovigilance and cancer research has continued to grow. The USA has the largest number of publications and citations, followed by France and UK. Vanderbilt University and Sorbonne University are the institutions that contribute the most papers, and 5 of the top 10 high-yield institutions are from France. Salem JE and Lebrun-Vignes B of Sorbonne University have published the most papers, and they have a strong cooperative relationship. Salem JE has the highest H index. Drug Safety has the largest number of publications in the field of pharmacovigilance and cancer, with a high impact factor (IF). In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been identified as a hot topic and will continue to be maintained. This paper can help researchers get familiar with the current situation and trend of pharmacovigilance and cancer research, and provide valuable reference for the selection of future research directions.

Fetal and Neonatal Adverse Drug Reactions Associated with Biologics Taken During Pregnancy by Women with Autoimmune Diseases: Insights from an Analysis of the World Health Organization Pharmacovigilance Database (VigiBase®)

INTRODUCTION

Published data on the safety of biologics other than tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors during pregnancy are limited.

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to detect pharmacovigilance signals for fetal and neonatal adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to biologics taken by pregnant women with autoimmune diseases.

METHODS

We performed a disproportionality analysis of the World Health Organization's VigiBase^® pharmacovigilance database from 1968 to June 1, 2021. Data were collected in June 2021. By using terms for different hierarchical levels of the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities, we selected the following fetal or neonatal ADRs: stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight, small for gestational age, and congenital malformations. The frequency of all identified ADRs for biologics of interest (adalimumab, infliximab, golimumab, certolizumab, etanercept, anakinra, canakinumab, tocilizumab, sarilumab, ustekinumab, guselkumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab, belimumab, abatacept, and rituximab) was compared with that of all other reports for all other drugs and quoted as the reporting odds ratio (ROR) [95% confidence interval]. Reports with known concomitant use of teratogenic drugs were excluded from the main analysis. Other analyses included ROR stratifications by therapeutic indication in the periods 1968-2021 and 2001-2021, and an analysis after excluding reports with steroids.

RESULTS

In the main analysis, the RORs were particularly high for musculoskeletal malformations with anakinra (7.18 [3.50-14.73]), canakinumab (19.54 [12.82-29.79]), and abatacept (5.09 [2.77-9.33]), and for immune system disorders with canakinumab (347.88 [217.9-555.50]) and rituximab (9.27 [2.95-29.15]). After the exclusion of reports with steroids, the ROR was significant for neonatal infections with belimumab (28.49 [5.75-141.25]).

CONCLUSION

We identified possible associations with some adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes, suggesting that vigilance is required when prescribing certain biologics during pregnancy.

Janus Kinase Inhibitors and Coronavirus Disease (COVID)-19: Rationale, Clinical Evidence and Safety Issues

We are witnessing a paradigm shift in drug development and clinical practice to fight the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and a number of clinical trials have been or are being testing various pharmacological approaches to counteract viral load and its complications such as cytokine storm. However, data on the effectiveness of antiviral and immune therapies are still inconclusive and inconsistent. As compared to other candidate drugs to treat COVID-19, Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitors, including baricitinib and ruxolitinib, possess key pharmacological features for a potentially successful repurposing: convenient oral administration, favorable pharmacokinetic profile, multifunctional pharmacodynamics by exerting dual anti-inflammatory and anti-viral effects. Baricitinib, originally approved for rheumatoid arthritis, received Emergency Use Authorization in November 2020 by the Food and Drug Administration in combination with remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients ≥ 2 years old who require supplemental oxygen, invasive mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. By July 2021, the European Medicines Agency is also expected to issue the opinion on whether or not to extend its use in hospitalised patients from 10 years of age who require supplemental oxygen. Ruxolitinib, approved for myelofibrosis, was prescribed in patients with COVID-19 within an open-label Emergency Expanded Access Plan. This review will address key milestones in the discovery and use of JAK inhibitors in COVID-19, from artificial intelligence to current clinical evidence, including real world experience, and critically appraise emerging safety issues, namely infections, thrombosis, and liver injury. An outlook to ongoing studies (ClinicalTrials.gov) and unpublished pharmacovigilance data is also offered.

Toxicities with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Emerging Priorities From Disproportionality Analysis of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including antibodies targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA4) and programmed cell death 1 or its ligand (PD1/PDL1), elicit different immune-related adverse events (irAEs), but their global safety is incompletely characterized.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to characterize the spectrum, frequency, and clinical features of ICI-related adverse events (AEs) reported to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

AEs from FAERS (up to June 2018) recording ICIs (ipilimumab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, avelumab, durvalumab) as suspect were extracted. Comprehensive disproportionality analyses were performed through the reporting odds ratio (ROR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI), using other oncological drugs as comparison. An overview of systematic reviews (OoSRs) was also undertaken to identify irAEs with consistent positive associations.

RESULTS

ICIs were recorded in 47,266 reports, submitted mainly by consumers receiving monotherapy with anti-PD1/PDL1 drugs. Three areas of toxicity emerged from both disproportionality analysis and the OoSRs (32 studies): endocrine (N = 2863; ROR = 6.91; 95% CI 6.60-7.23), hepatobiliary (2632; 1.33; 1.28-1.39), and respiratory disorders (7240; 1.04; 1.01-1.06). Different reporting patterns emerged for anti-CTLA4 drugs (e.g., hypophysitis, adrenal insufficiency, hypopituitarism, and prescribed overdose) and anti-PD1/PDL1 agents (e.g., pneumonitis, cholangitis, vanishing bile duct syndrome, tumor pseudoprogression, and inappropriate schedule of drug administration). No increased reporting emerged when comparing combination with monotherapy regimens, but multiple hepatobiliary/endocrine/respiratory irAEs were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

This parallel approach through contemporary post-marketing analysis and OoSRs confirmed that ICIs are associated with a multitude of irAEs, with different reporting patterns between anti-CTLA4 and anti-PD1/PDL1 medications. Close clinical monitoring is warranted to early diagnose and timely manage irAEs, especially respiratory, endocrine, and hepatic toxicities, which warrant further characterization; patient- and drug-related risk factors should be assessed through analytical pharmaco-epidemiological studies and prospective multicenter registries.

Adverse Events Associated With Radium-223 in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Disproportionality Analysis of FDA Data Reflecting Worldwide Utilization

BACKGROUND

Radionuclide radium-223 improves survival in men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. The United States (US) Food and Drug Administration Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) is a post-market pharmacovigilance database valuable for adverse event (AE) assessments. We analyzed FAERS to identify disproportionate AE signals related to radium-223, and to explore radium-223's international utilization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We identified 2182 radium-223 cases associated with AE(s) from 2013 to 2018. The duration of radium-223 therapy was calculated. Reporting odds ratio (ROR) and proportional reporting ratio (PRR), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were calculated for AEs of interest. ROR shows disproportionate signals if the lower limit of the 95% CI > 1. PRR shows disproportionate signals if PRR ≥ 2, χ² statistic ≥ 4, and ≥ 3 AEs were reported. We identified any US Food and Drug Administration enforcement actions for radium-223.

RESULTS

A majority (60.8%) of events occurred outside the US. Among patients with radium-223-associated AEs, the median therapy duration was only 56 days (corresponding to 2-3 treatment cycles). Disproportionate signals were detected for general health deterioration (ROR, 5.03; 95% CI, 4.23-5.98 and PRR, 4.94; 95% CI, 4.16-5.87), bone pain (ROR, 4.53; 95% CI, 3.67-5.59 and PRR, 4.48; 95% CI, 3.63-5.53), and hematologic AEs including anemia (ROR, 2.89; 95% CI, 2.55-3.27 and PRR, 2.80; 95% CI, 2.48-3.17), thrombocytopenia (ROR, 3.22; 95% CI, 2.77-3.74 and PRR, 3.16; 95% CI, 2.72-3.67), and pancytopenia/bone marrow failure (ROR, 4.83; 95% CI, 4.11-5.67 and PRR, 4.73; 95% CI, 4.03-5.55). There were no enforcement actions for radium-223.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer experiencing AEs are only receiving one-half the prescription dose of radium-223 required for survival benefit. Radium-223 is associated with health deterioration, bone pain, and hematologic AEs. Real-world analyses are important for ongoing radium-223 risk-benefit assessments.