Persistence of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor or conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug monotherapy or combination therapy in psoriatic arthritis in a real-world setting.

This study described treatment patterns in a psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patient registry for new or ongoing tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) monotherapy, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (csDMARD) monotherapy, or TNFi/csDMARD combination therapy. This retrospective analysis included adults with PsA who enrolled in the Corrona PsA/spondyloarthritis registry between March 21, 2013 (registry initiation), and January 31, 2017, and received an approved TNFi and/or csDMARD as "existing use" starting before registry entry or "initiated use" starting on/after registry entry. Therapy persistence was defined as index therapy use for ≥ 12 months without a treatment gap of ≥ 30 days. Among the evaluable patients with existing TNFi monotherapy (n = 251), csDMARD monotherapy (n = 225), and combination therapy (n = 214), 93, 87, and 87% were persistent for ≥ 12 months, and another 6, 5, and 5%, respectively, had no change with < 12 months of follow-up after first use. Among evaluable patients who initiated use of TNFi monotherapy (n = 26), csDMARD monotherapy (n = 35), and combination therapy (n = 15), 50, 43, and 53% were persistent for ≥ 12 months, and another 27, 20, and 20%, respectively, had no change with < 12 months of follow-up after first use. After initiation of index therapy, most changes (19-27% of patients) were discontinuation; 4-13% switched biologic therapy during follow-up. The results of this analysis of real-world treatment patterns in a PsA patient registry suggest that nonpersistence for TNFi monotherapy, csDMARD monotherapy, or TNFi/csDMARD combination therapy occurs more commonly after initiation of therapy than in patients with existing therapy. Trial registration: NCT02530268.

Decreased Injection Site Pain Associated with Phosphate-Free Etanercept Formulation in Rheumatoid Arthritis or Psoriatic Arthritis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Etanercept, a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor, is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and is administered via subcutaneous injection. Injection site pain (ISP) associated with subcutaneous administration may affect compliance or hinder initiation of prescribed medications. To improve the patient experience, a new phosphate-free formulation of etanercept was evaluated for reduced ISP associated with administration. METHODS: This phase 3b, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, cross-over study compared the prior formulation of etanercept to a phosphate-free formulation. Etanercept-naïve adults with RA or PsA indicated for treatment with etanercept were eligible. Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive both etanercept formulations (50 mg) in one of two crossover sequences: prior formulation followed by phosphate-free formulation (sequence AB) or phosphate-free formulation followed by prior formulation (sequence BA) at visits 1 week apart. Patients self-reported ISP using a fit-for-purpose 100-mm visual analog scale within 30 s after injection. Safety outcomes included incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events. Mixed-effects analysis of variance model was used to assess ISP, with treatment, study period, sequence, and disease indication as fixed-effect covariates and patient-within-sequence as random effect. RESULTS: A total of 111 patients enrolled (56 sequence AB; 55 sequence BA). Mean ISP score for prior formulation was 23.1 mm and for phosphate-free formulation was 19.1 mm (mean difference - 4 mm; 95% confidence interval: - 8.0, 0.0; P = 0.048). Patients with the highest ISP scores from the prior formulation (by quartile cut points) had the largest reduction in pain with phosphate-free formulation. Injection site reactions were few in number and similar between formulations; no new safety signals were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The new phosphate-free formulation of etanercept had statistically significantly lower mean pain scores than the prior formulation, with largest pain reductions observed among patients who reported highest pain with the prior formulation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02986139. FUNDING: Amgen Inc, Thousand Oaks, CA USA.

Open-Label Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Etanercept Treatment in Subjects With Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis Who Have Failed Therapy With Apremilast.

INTRODUCTION: Response to etanercept therapy in patients who have failed apremilast therapy has not been well characterized. METHODS: In this multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase 4, estimation study, subjects with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis received etanercept 50 mg SC twice weekly for 12 weeks, followed by etanercept 50 mg SC once weekly for an additional 12 weeks. Subjects had BSA greater than equal to 10%, PASI greater than equal to 10, and sPGA greater than equal to 3 at screening and baseline; and had failed apremilast-because of either failure to achieve or loss of adequate clinical response, or intolerability to apremilast in the opinion of the investigator. Primary endpoint was PASI 75 at week 12. Secondary endpoints included PASI 75 at week 24, PASI 90 at weeks 12 and 24, and patient-reported outcomes: Psoriasis Symptom Inventory (PSI) score (total and individual items) at baseline and weeks 12 and 24, and over time; DLQI responder analysis (5-point improvement in DLQI from baseline or score of 0) at weeks 12 and 24; and patient assessment of treatment satisfaction at baseline and weeks 12 and 24. RESULTS: Among 80 patients, PASI 75 at weeks 12 and 24 was 41.6% (95% CI, 30.4%-53.4%) and 45.5% (34.1%-57.1%), respectively; PASI 90 was 13.0% (6.4%-22.6%) and 22.1% (13.4%-33.0%), respectively. Mean total PSI score (LOCF) improved from 16.6 (95% CI, 15.1-18.0) at baseline to 8.8 (7.3-10.2) and 9.6 (7.9-11.4) at weeks 12 and 24, respectively; improvements in item PSI scores were similar. The percentage of DLQI responders was 66.2% (95% CI, 54.3%-76.8%) and 57.3% (45.4%-68.7%) at weeks 12 and 24, respectively. The percentage of subjects who were satisfied/very satisfied with their psoriasis treatment improved from 5.0% at baseline to 60.8% and 53.3% at weeks 12 and 24, respectively. During the 24-week study, 23.8% and 2.5% of subjects reported an adverse event and serious adverse event, respectively; there were no new safety signals in this study. DISCUSSION: In patients who have failed apremilast, etanercept may represent an effective therapeutic option. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02749370 J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(10):1078-1082.

Design and rationale of the Study of Etanercept and Methotrexate in Combination or as Monotherapy in Subjects with Psoriatic Arthritis (SEAM-PsA).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of etanercept and methotrexate as monotherapies and as combination therapy in subjects with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: The Study of Etanercept and Methotrexate in Combination or as Monotherapy in Subjects with Psoriatic Arthritis (SEAM-PsA) is an ongoing, global, double-blind, 48-week, randomised, controlled study. Subjects are randomised (1:1:1) to etanercept monotherapy, methotrexate monotherapy or etanercept-methotrexate combination therapy. Endpoints include rates of ACR20 response and Minimal Disease Activity, measures to characterise extra-articular manifestations (dactylitis, enthesitis, nail disease) and safety. CONCLUSION: SEAM-PsA will characterise the effects of etanercept with and without background methotrexate and methotrexate alone on PsA manifestations, and provide information of practical importance to clinicians on the optimal treatment of PsA.

Defining and characterizing sustained remission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The objective of this study is to characterize stability and clinical features of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in sustained remission. Combination therapy with methotrexate and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) has increased remission rates in RA but optimal regimens to maintain remission are unknown. We describe Study of Etanercept And Methotrexate in Combination or as Monotherapy in Subjects with Rheumatoid Arthritis (SEAM-RA) and data from a run-in period of longitudinal observation. Patients in Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) remission (score ≤ 3.3) receiving etanercept and methotrexate were screened and had to maintain remission over 3 run-in visits/24 weeks before randomization to combination therapy or withdrawal of etanercept or methotrexate. Baseline characteristics were examined for predictive factors for maintaining remission. As of November 2016, 141 patients have enrolled; of these, 64 have been randomized, 34 were ineligible after run-in, and 43 are in run-in period; 70% have completed run-in. Enrolled and randomized patients, respectively, had mean (standard deviation [SD]) disease duration 11.0 (8.6) and 12.6 (9.7) years; mean (SD) duration of etanercept use 4.2 (3.8) and 4.9 (4.2) years; mean (SD) methotrexate dose 15.9 (4.8) and 15.5 (4.9) mg/week; and mean (SD) SDAI scores 1.5 (0.9) and 1.4 (0.8). At enrollment, 73% and 63% were in Boolean remission based on 28 joints and 66/68 joints, respectively. No enrollment characteristic predicted successful completion of run-in. Two-thirds of patients considered to be in remission at enrollment sustained remission through 24 weeks. Baseline characteristics of enrolled patients and those who completed run-in were comparable.

Pharmacokinetics, Immunogenicity, and Efficacy of Etanercept in Pediatric Patients With Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis.

Etanercept has been recently approved in the United States for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in patients aged 4-17 years. The objective of this study was to characterize etanercept pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and efficacy in pediatric patients. Data from a phase 3 study and open-label extension study were analyzed. Etanercept serum concentrations in pediatric patients receiving etanercept 0.8 mg/kg (maximum, 50 mg) weekly were compared with adult psoriasis patients and pediatric patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who received etanercept 0.4 mg/kg twice weekly. The developments of antietanercept antibodies and efficacy based on the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index were evaluated. Steady-state trough etanercept concentrations were similar across visits from weeks 12-48, between patients aged 4-11 and 12-17 years, between pediatric and adult psoriasis patients, and between pediatric patients with psoriasis or JIA. Etanercept serum concentrations and safety profiles were similar in patients with (15.9%) and without antietanercept antibodies. Dosing used in the study provided similar exposures and efficacy across ranges of weight and body mass index. Pharmacokinetic, immunogenicity, and efficacy data support 0.8 mg/kg (maximum, 50 mg) weekly dosing of etanercept in patients aged 4-17 years.

OBSERVE-5: observational postmarketing safety surveillance registry of etanercept for the treatment of psoriasis final 5-year results.

BACKGROUND: OBSERVE-5 was a 5-year Food and Drug Administration-mandated surveillance registry of patients with psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess long-term etanercept safety and effectiveness. METHODS: Patients with moderate to severe psoriasis enrolled; a single baseline dose of etanercept was required. Key outcome measures included serious adverse events, serious infectious events, events of medical interest, psoriasis-affected body surface area, physician global assessment score, and Dermatology Life Quality Index score. Safety outcomes were assessed relative to data from the MarketScan database. RESULTS: For 2510 patients, 5-year cumulative incidence was 22.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 20.3%-24.2%) for serious adverse events; 6.5% (95% CI 5.4%-7.7%) for serious infectious events; 3.2% (95% CI 2.3%-4.1%) for malignancies excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer; 3.6% (95% CI 2.7%-4.5%) for nonmelanoma skin cancer; 2.8% (95% CI 2.0%-3.6%) for coronary artery disease; 0.7% (95% CI 0.3%-1.2%) for psoriasis worsening; 0.2% (95% CI 0.0%-0.4%) for central nervous system demyelinating disorder; 0.1% (95% CI 0.0%-0.3%) for lymphoma and for tuberculosis; and 0.1% (95% CI 0.0%-0.2%) for opportunistic infection and for lupus; 55 fatal events were reported. Rates of malignancies, lymphomas, nonmelanoma skin cancer, and hospitalization-associated infections were not higher than expected relative to administrative claims data. The percentage of patients rated as clear/almost clear was 12% at baseline, which increased to 51% at month 6 and remained relatively stable throughout 5 years. LIMITATIONS: No internal comparator group was included; rare events may not have been detected. CONCLUSION: No new safety signals were observed with long-term, real-world etanercept use.

OBSERVE-5 interim analysis: an observational postmarketing safety registry of etanercept for the treatment of psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Etanercept is approved for the treatment of chronic moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the long-term safety of etanercept in a real-world clinical setting. Assessment of etanercept efficacy was a secondary objective. METHODS: OBSERVE-5 is a 5-year observational safety registry initiated in May 2006 at multiple sites in the United States and Canada. Data collection includes the number of serious adverse events, serious infectious events, and prespecified events of medical interest. Efficacy data include body surface area assessments, physician and patient global assessments of psoriasis, and the Dermatology Life Quality Index. This interim analysis presents data from the first 3 years of the follow-up period. RESULTS: A total of 2511 patients were enrolled. Of 1890 patients continuing in the registry after 3 years, 113 were inactive for 1 to 2 years, and 115 were inactive for longer than 2 years. The 3-year incidence proportions of serious adverse events and serious infectious events based on Kaplan-Meier methodology were 0.14 and 0.04, respectively. The observed numbers of patients experiencing lymphoma, serious infectious events requiring hospitalization, nonmelanoma skin cancer, and malignancies excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer were not higher than the expected number of cases estimated from a large US administrative health claims database. LIMITATIONS: The registry lacks a control group, and the study is too small to measure the frequency of rare events. CONCLUSION: Etanercept demonstrated good tolerability in patients with plaque psoriasis in the clinical setting in this interim analysis. No new or unexpected safety concerns were observed.

Brodalumab, an anti-interleukin-17-receptor antibody for psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: In this phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study, we assessed the efficacy and safety of brodalumab (AMG 827), a human anti-interleukin-17-receptor monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients with a score of 12 or higher on the psoriasis area-and-severity index (PASI, on which scores range from 0 to 72, with higher scores indicating more severe disease) and with 10% or more of their body-surface area affected by psoriasis to receive brodalumab (70 mg, 140 mg, or 210 mg at day 1 and weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 or 280 mg monthly) or placebo. The primary end point was the percentage improvement from baseline in the PASI score at week 12. Secondary end points included improvement of at least 75% and at least 90% in the PASI score and the score on the static physician's global assessment at week 12. RESULTS: A total of 198 patients underwent randomization. At week 12, the mean percentage improvements in the PASI score were 45.0% among patients receiving 70 mg of brodalumab, 85.9% among those receiving 140 mg, 86.3% among those receiving 210 mg, 76.0% among those receiving 280 mg, and 16.0% among those receiving placebo (P<0.001 for all comparisons with placebo). An improvement of at least 75% and at least 90% in the PASI score at week 12 was seen in 77% and 72%, respectively, of the patients in the 140-mg brodalumab group and in 82% and 75%, respectively, of the patients in the 210-mg group, as compared with 0% in the placebo group (P<0.001 for all comparisons). The percentage of patients with a static physician's global assessment of clear or minimal disease was 26%, 85%, 80%, and 69% with the 70-mg, 140-mg, 210-mg, and 280-mg doses, respectively, of brodalumab, as compared with 3% with placebo (P<0.01 for all comparisons with placebo). Two cases of grade 3 neutropenia were reported in the 210-mg brodalumab group. The most commonly reported adverse events in the combined brodalumab groups were nasopharyngitis (8%), upper respiratory tract infection (8%), and injection-site erythema (6%). CONCLUSIONS: Brodalumab significantly improved plaque psoriasis in this 12-week, phase 2 study. (Funded by Amgen; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00975637.).