The European Commission has approved Pfizer’s Xeljanz (tofacitinib citrate) for ulcerative colitis (UC), making it the first oral therapy and Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor to be approved for this patient population.

The drug is now approved for three indications in the EU, including rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

“Until now, people living with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis have not had an oral treatment available that can both induce and maintain steroid-free remission,” said Silvio Danese, President of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) Governing Board

Xeljanz has been a successful drug for Pfizer in other indications, and recently helped drive the company’s profit growth in Q2 2018 with sales of $463 million.