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For the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, a new class of drugs, active orally, the so-called anti JAK, has been available for a little over three years. These drugs inhibit certain enzymes, called Janus kinases, involved in the inflammatory process. We asked them what they are, how they work and what makes them different from the biotechnological drugs that have been available for therapy for over 20 years and that have revolutionized the treatment of this chronic, systemic, potentially disabling inflammatory disease, with an etiology that is not clearly defined but likely of autoimmune origin. We discuss this with Prof. Roberto Gerli, professor of rheumatology at the University of Perugia and president of the Italian Society of Rheumatology and with Prof. Luigi Sinigaglia, Past President of the Italian Society of Rheumatology.