Although interviewed thought leaders acknowledge that available biological therapies have greatly
improved treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)—the most common rheumatic disease
in children—they do not hesitate to point out unmet needs and remaining drug development
opportunities in this field. When current treatments fail, severe disability and even death can result.
The heterogeneous nature of JIA leaves room for drugs that target new targets while meeting the
particular needs of the pediatric population.
Questions Answered in This Report
JIA is an umbrella term for seven distinct diagnoses. How are the various JIA subtypes defined?
How are they diagnosed? How does their treatment differ?
The drugs used in the treatment of JIA are identical to those used in adult rheumatic diseases.
What are the first-line therapies for JIA? What factors drive prescribing decisions? How safe
and efficacious are these treatments in children?
Not all JIA patients are sufficiently treated with available therapies. Which specific unmet needs
remain? What agents are in development for JIA? How will these agents fit into the treatment
patterns for these diseases? What do thought leaders say about emerging agents?
Scope
Overview of JIA: Oligoarthritis; polyarthritis; enthesitis-related arthritis; psoriatic
arthritis; systemic JIA; diagnosis of JIA.
Epidemiology: Ten-year forecast for United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United
Kingdom, and Japan.