Effects of secukinumab on synovitis and enthesitis in patients with psoriatic arthritis: 52-week clinical and ultrasound results from the randomised, double-blind ULTIMATE trial with open label extension.

OBJECTIVES: In the ULTIMATE study with an open label extension, we assessed the long-term effect of secukinumab at tissue level on synovitis and enthesitis, and across all psoriatic arthritis (PsA) manifestations, using both clinical evaluations and power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS). METHODS: This randomised, placebo-controlled, Phase 3 study (ULTIMATE) included biologic-naïve patients with PsA with active PDUS synovitis and clinical enthesitis, and inadequate response to conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. The study consisted of 3 treatment periods; in the first period (baseline to week 12) patients were randomised to receive subcutaneous secukinumab (150 mg or 300 mg according to severity of skin psoriasis) or placebo every week until week 4 and once every 4 weeks up to week 12. In the second period (weeks 12-24) all patients received open-label secukinumab with placebo patients switching to secukinumab (150 mg or 300 mg). The third period (weeks 24-52) was an extended open-label treatment period. The long-term responsiveness of the Global EULAR-OMERACT Synovitis Score (GLOESS), clinical enthesitis and global PDUS-detected enthesitis score (using two candidate definitions of activity) at patient level, together with clinical efficacy across key manifestations of PsA and safety were assessed. RESULTS: Of the 166 patients enrolled, 144 completed week 52. A significant reduction in GLOESS was demonstrated in the secukinumab group vs placebo at week 12, followed by a stable reduction of synovitis until week 52 in the secukinumab group while placebo switchers from week 12 reached a similar level of reduction at week 24 with stability thereafter. Likewise, a significant reduction in the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) enthesitis index was shown in the secukinumab group vs placebo at week 12 with sustained improvement to week 52. Global OMERACT PDUS enthesitis scores were numerically lower in secukinumab vs placebo switchers in the first two treatment periods, with some stability in the third period in both groups. Improvements in clinical responses were also observed across all key domains of PsA up to week 52 in both treatment groups with no new or unexpected safety signals. CONCLUSIONS: ULTIMATE showed consistent improvements in clinically and ultrasound-assessed synovitis and enthesitis and sustained clinical efficacy through week 52 in patients with PsA treated with secukinumab and placebo switched to secukinumab.

Response to secukinumab on synovitis using Power Doppler ultrasound in psoriatic arthritis: 12-week results from a phase III study, ULTIMATE.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the dynamics of response of synovitis to IL-17A inhibition with secukinumab in patients with active PsA using Power Doppler ultrasound. METHODS: The randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase III ULTIMATE study enrolled PsA patients with active ultrasound synovitis and clinical synovitis and enthesitis having an inadequate response to conventional DMARDs and naïve to biologic DMARDs. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either weekly subcutaneous secukinumab (300 or 150 mg according to the severity of psoriasis) or placebo followed by 4-weekly dosing thereafter. The primary outcome was the mean change in the ultrasound Global EULAR and OMERACT Synovitis Score (GLOESS) from baseline to week 12. Key secondary endpoints included ACR 20 and 50 responses. RESULTS: Of the 166 patients enrolled, 97% completed 12 weeks of treatment (secukinumab, 99%; placebo, 95%). The primary end point was met, and the adjusted mean change in GLOESS was higher with secukinumab than placebo [-9 (0.9) vs -6 (0.9), difference (95% CI): -3 (-6, -1); one-sided P=0.004] at week 12. The difference in GLOESS between secukinumab and placebo was significant as early as one week after initiation of treatment. All key secondary endpoints were met. No new or unexpected safety findings were reported. CONCLUSION: This unique ultrasound study shows that apart from improving the signs and symptoms of PsA, IL-17A inhibition with secukinumab leads to a rapid and significant reduction of synovitis in PsA patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT02662985.