By Colin Kellaher


AbbVie Inc. on Wednesday said it has filed for expanded U.S. and European approval of its blockbuster immunology drug Rinvoq for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease.

The North Chicago, Ill., biopharmaceutical company said it submitted applications for the new indication in the chronic inflammatory bowel disease to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency.

Rinvoq, which is approved for several inflammatory diseases and is also in a raft of Phase 3 studies, is expected to be a key driver for AbbVie, with U.S. patents on Humira, the world's biggest-selling non-Covid drug, set to expire next year.

AbbVie has forecast 2025 risk-adjusted sales topping $7.5 billion apiece for Rinvoq and Skyrizi, its blockbuster psoriasis drug. The FDA in June approved the expanded use of Skyrizi in adults with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease.


Write to Colin Kellaher at colin.kellaher@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

07-27-22 0928ET