In a bid to strengthen its autoimmune disease franchise, Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Biotech has licensed worldwide rights, excluding Japan, to develop and commercialise Astellas Pharma’s ASP015K, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor in Phase IIb development for moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). J&J already markets the anti-TNF-alpha (anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha) agents Remicade® (infliximab) and Simponi® (golimumab). Pfizer’s tofacitinib is poised to be the first JAK inhibitor to be approved for the treatment of RA with a regulatory decision expected from the US FDA in November 2012.