Bimekizumab versus Adalimumab in Plaque Psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Bimekizumab is a monoclonal IgG1 antibody that selectively inhibits interleukin-17A and interleukin-17F. The efficacy and safety of bimekizumab as compared with the tumor necrosis factor inhibitor adalimumab in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis have not been extensively examined. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive subcutaneous bimekizumab at a dose of 320 mg every 4 weeks for 56 weeks; bimekizumab at a dose of 320 mg every 4 weeks for 16 weeks, then every 8 weeks for weeks 16 to 56; or subcutaneous adalimumab at a dose of 40 mg every 2 weeks for 24 weeks, followed by bimekizumab at a dose of 320 mg every 4 weeks to week 56. The primary end points were a 90% or greater reduction from baseline in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score (PASI 90 response; PASI scores range from 0 to 72, with higher scores indicating worse disease) and an Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) score of 0 or 1, signifying clear or almost clear skin (scores range from 0 [clear skin] to 4 [severe disease]), at week 16. The analysis of the primary end points tested noninferiority at a margin of -10 percentage points and then tested for superiority. RESULTS: A total of 614 patients were screened, and 478 were enrolled; 158 patients were assigned to receive bimekizumab every 4 weeks, 161 to receive bimekizumab every 4 weeks and then every 8 weeks, and 159 to receive adalimumab. The mean age of the patients was 44.9 years; the mean PASI score at baseline was 19.8. At week 16, a total of 275 of 319 patients (86.2%) who received bimekizumab (both dose groups combined) and 75 of 159 (47.2%) who received adalimumab had a PASI 90 response (adjusted risk difference, 39.3 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 30.9 to 47.7; P<0.001 for noninferiority and superiority). A total of 272 of 319 patients (85.3%) who received bimekizumab and 91 of 159 (57.2%) who received adalimumab had an IGA score of 0 or 1 (adjusted risk difference, 28.2 percentage points; 95% CI, 19.7 to 36.7; P<0.001 for noninferiority and superiority). The most common adverse events with bimekizumab were upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis (predominantly mild or moderate as recorded by the investigator), hypertension, and diarrhea. CONCLUSIONS: In this 56-week trial, bimekizumab was noninferior and superior to adalimumab through 16 weeks in reducing symptoms and signs of plaque psoriasis but was associated with a higher frequency of oral candidiasis and diarrhea. Longer and larger trials are required to determine the efficacy and safety of bimekizumab as compared with other agents in the treatment of plaque psoriasis. (Funded by UCB Pharma; BE SURE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03412747.).

Bimekizumab versus Secukinumab in Plaque Psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Bimekizumab is a monoclonal IgG1 antibody that selectively inhibits both interleukin-17A and interleukin-17F. The efficacy and safety of bimekizumab as compared with secukinumab, which selectively inhibits interleukin-17A alone, in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis have not been extensively examined. METHODS: In this phase 3b trial, we randomly assigned patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive bimekizumab subcutaneously at a dose of 320 mg every 4 weeks or secukinumab subcutaneously at a dose of 300 mg weekly to week 4, followed by every 4 weeks to week 48. At week 16, patients receiving bimekizumab underwent rerandomization, in a 1:2 ratio, to receive maintenance dosing every 4 weeks or every 8 weeks to week 48. The primary end point was 100% reduction from baseline in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score at week 16. The primary analysis was first tested for the noninferiority of bimekizumab to secukinumab at a margin of -10 percentage points and then tested for superiority. RESULTS: A total of 1005 patients were screened and 743 were enrolled; 373 patients were assigned to receive bimekizumab and 370 to receive secukinumab. At week 16, a total of 230 patients (61.7%) in the bimekizumab group and 181 (48.9%) in the secukinumab group had a 100% reduction from baseline in the PASI score (PASI 100) (adjusted risk difference, 12.7 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.8 to 19.6); bimekizumab was shown to be noninferior and superior to secukinumab (P<0.001 for noninferiority and superiority). At week 48, a total of 250 patients (67.0%) treated with bimekizumab had a PASI 100 response, as compared with 171 patients (46.2%) treated with secukinumab (adjusted risk difference, 20.9 percentage points; 95% CI, 14.1 to 27.7; P<0.001). At the week 4 time point, 265 patients (71.0%) in the bimekizumab group had 75% or greater reduction from baseline in the PASI score, as compared with 175 patients (47.3%) in the secukinumab group (adjusted risk difference, 23.7; 95% CI, 17.0 to 30.4; P<0.001). Oral candidiasis occurred more often with bimekizumab (72 patients, 19.3%) than with secukinumab (11 patients, 3.0%). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, treatment with bimekizumab resulted in greater skin clearance than treatment with secukinumab over 16 and 48 weeks but was associated with oral candidiasis (predominantly mild or moderate as recorded by the investigator). Longer and larger trials are required to determine the comparative effect and risks of interleukin-17 inhibitors in psoriasis. (Funded by UCB Pharma; BE RADIANT ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03536884.).

Bimekizumab safety in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: pooled data from up to 3†years of treatment in randomized phase III trials.

BACKGROUND: Patients with psoriasis require long-term management; therefore, understanding the long-term safety of new treatments, such as bimekizumab (BKZ), is crucial. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate BKZ's 3-year safety profile in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. METHODS: Three years of safety data were pooled from three phase III trials (BE VIVID, BE READY and BE SURE) and their ongoing open-label extension (BE BRIGHT). Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) are reported using exposure-adjusted incidence rates (EAIRs) per 100 patient-years (PY). RESULTS: In total, 1495 patients received at least one BKZ dose; total BKZ exposure was 3876.4 PY. The overall EAIR of TEAEs was 175.5/100 PY and decreased with longer exposure to BKZ. The most commonly reported TEAEs were nasopharyngitis, oral candidiasis and upper respiratory tract infection (EAIRs of 15.0/100 PY, 10.1/100 PY and 6.5/100 PY, respectively); 99.3% of oral candidiasis events were mild or moderate in severity, none were serious and few led to discontinuation. EAIRs of other TEAEs of interest were low, including serious infections (1.2/100 PY), adjudicated inflammatory bowel disease (0.2/100 PY) and laboratory elevations in aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase (> 5 × upper limit of normal: 0.6/100 PY). CONCLUSIONS: In these analyses pooled across 3 years, no new safety signals were observed with longer exposure to BKZ. The vast majority of oral candidiasis events were mild or moderate in severity, as reported previously.

Orismilast in moderate-to-severe psoriasis: Efficacy and safety from a 16-week, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, dose-finding, and phase 2b trial (IASOS).

BACKGROUND: Orismilast is a novel oral phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) B/D inhibitor being investigated as a potential treatment for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate efficacy and safety of orismilast modified-release formulation in moderate-to-severe psoriasis. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized (1:1:1:1 to 20, 30, 40 mg orismilast or placebo, twice daily), double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, phase 2b, 16-week, dose-ranging study evaluated orismilast in adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis (NCT05190419). Efficacy end points were analyzed using multiple imputation. RESULTS: Of 202 randomized patients, baseline characteristics were balanced across arms, except greater severe disease proportions for orismilast vs placebo. Orismilast showed significant improvements in the primary end point, percentage change in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), from baseline to week 16 (orismilast -52.6% to -63.7% and placebo, -17.3%; all P <.001). Greater proportions receiving orismilast achieved PASI75 (39.5%-49.0%; P <.05) and PASI90 (22.0%-28.3%; P <.05 for 20 and 40 mg) vs placebo (PASI75, 16.5% and PASI90, 8.3%) at week 16. Safety findings were as expected with PDE4 inhibition; dose-dependent tolerability effects observed. LIMITATIONS: Small sample size, disease severity imbalance between groups, limited duration and diversity in study population. CONCLUSION: Orismilast demonstrated greater efficacy vs placebo and a safety profile in line with PDE4 inhibition.

Safety of Bimekizumab for Plaque Psoriasis: An Expert Consensus Panel.

BACKGROUND: Plaque psoriasis is a chronic, relapsing systemic illness that has a significant effect on quality of life. Bimekizumab is the first monoclonal antibody to target both interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-17F, and recently received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Guidance is necessary regarding the safety of bimekizumab. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar was completed for English-language original research articles on the safety of bimekizumab for moderate to severe psoriasis. A panel of 9 dermatologists and 1 rheumatologist with significant expertise in the treatment of psoriasis gathered to review the articles and create consensus statements on this new medication. A modified Delphi process was used to approve each statement, and strength of recommendation was assigned using the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy criteria. RESULTS: The literature search produced 110 articles that met the criteria. A thorough screening of the studies for relevance to the research question resulted in 15 articles. These were distributed to all panelists for review prior to a roundtable discussion. The panel unanimously voted to adopt 5 consensus statements and recommendations, all of which were given a strength of "A". CONCLUSION: Bimekizumab has a safety profile consistent with other biologics, except for a higher risk of oral candidiasis. Its hepatic safety profile is comparable with other currently FDA-approved biologics for plaque psoriasis. In addition, the data do not support an association of bimekizumab with suicide, and the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease is not greater than the incidence of other IL-17 blockers. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(8):592-599. doi:10.36849/JDD.8246.

Using Artificial Intelligence as a Melanoma Screening Tool in Self-Referred Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Early detection of melanoma requires timely access to medical care. In this study, we examined the feasibility of using artificial intelligence (AI) to flag possible melanomas in self-referred patients concerned that a skin lesion might be cancerous. METHODS: Patients were recruited for the study through advertisements in 2 hospitals in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Lesions of concern were initially examined by a trained medical student and if the study criteria were met, the lesions were then scanned using the FotoFinder System®. The images were analyzed using their proprietary computer software. Macroscopic and dermoscopic images were evaluated by 3 experienced dermatologists and a senior dermatology resident, all blinded to the AI results. Suspicious lesions identified by the AI or any of the 3 dermatologists were then excised. RESULTS: Seventeen confirmed malignancies were found, including 10 melanomas. Six melanomas were not flagged by the AI. These lesions showed ambiguous atypical melanocytic proliferations, and all were diagnostically challenging to the dermatologists and to the dermatopathologists. Eight malignancies were seen in patients with a family history of melanoma. The AI's ability to diagnose malignancy is not inferior to the dermatologists examining dermoscopic images. CONCLUSION: AI, used in this study, may serve as a practical skin cancer screening aid. While it does have technical and diagnostic limitations, its inclusion in a melanoma screening program, directed at those with a concern about a particular lesion would be valuable in providing timely access to the diagnosis of skin cancer.

Secukinumab versus guselkumab in the complete resolution of ustekinumab-resistant psoriatic plaques: The ARROW study.

Interleukin (IL)-23-independent IL-17A production has been suggested to be involved in persistent manifestations of psoriatic disease, including anti-IL-12/23-refractory psoriatic plaques; this study aimed to test this hypothesis by investigating the clinical and molecular effects of direct IL-17A (with secukinumab) versus selective IL-23 inhibition (with guselkumab) in patients with anti-IL-12/23 (ustekinumab)-refractory psoriatic plaques. A 16-week, randomized, open-label, parallel-group, Phase IIa study (ARROW, NCT03553823) was conducted in patients with ≥1 active psoriatic plaque (total clinical score [TCS] ≥6) at screening despite treatment with ustekinumab, and a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score 1-10. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive secukinumab 300 mg (n = 20) or guselkumab 100 mg (n = 20). Biopsies from one refractory ('target plaque') were obtained at baseline and Week 16. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients whose ustekinumab-refractory target plaque achieved clear/almost clear status (TCS 0-2) at Week 16. Transcriptomic and histological analyses were conducted on target plaques to determine the molecular effects of direct IL-17A versus selective IL-23 inhibition. At Week 16, target plaque clear/almost clear status was achieved in 60.0% of patients treated with secukinumab versus 40.0% of patients treated with guselkumab (p = 0.1715). Molecular analyses identified that secukinumab modulated a greater proportion of psoriasis disease transcriptome genes (72.1% vs. 48.0%) and resulted in more histological responders (72.2% vs. 53.3%) compared with guselkumab. Secukinumab demonstrated a greater clinical and molecular effect on ustekinumab-refractory psoriatic plaques versus guselkumab. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that IL-23-independent IL-17 mechanisms may be relevant to the inflammation driving refractory manifestations of psoriasis.

Safety of guselkumab treatment for up to 5†years in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis: pooled analyses across seven clinical trials with more than 8600 patient-years of exposure.

BACKGROUND: Guselkumab has demonstrated favourable safety and efficacy across individual clinical studies in adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety of guselkumab in patients with psoriasis using pooled data from seven phase II/III studies (X-PLORE, VOYAGE 1, VOYAGE 2, NAVIGATE, ORION, ECLIPSE, Japan registration). METHODS: All studies, except NAVIGATE and ECLIPSE (active comparator-controlled only), included a 16-week placebo-controlled period; X-PLORE, VOYAGE 1 and VOYAGE 2 included both placebo and active controls. In most studies, guselkumab-treated patients received 100-mg subcutaneous injections at week 0, week 4, and then every 8 weeks thereafter. Safety data were summarized for the placebo-controlled period (weeks 0-16) and through the end of the reporting period (up to 5 years). Incidence rates of key safety events were integrated post hoc, adjusted for the duration of follow-up and reported per 100 patient-years (PY). RESULTS: During the placebo-controlled period, 544 patients received placebo (165 PY) and 1220 received guselkumab (378 PY). Through the end of the reporting period, 2891 guselkumab-treated patients contributed 8662 PY of follow-up. During the placebo-controlled period, in the guselkumab and placebo groups, respectively, rates of adverse events (AEs) were 346/100 PY and 341/100 PY, and infections were 95.9/100 PY and 83.6/100 PY. Rates of serious AEs (6.3/100 PY vs. 6.7/100 PY), AEs leading to discontinuation (5.0/100 PY vs. 9.7/100 PY), serious infections (1.1/100 PY vs. 1.2/100 PY), malignancy (0.5 patients/100 PY vs. 0.0 patients/100 PY) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; 0.3/100 PY vs. 0.0/100 PY) were low and comparable between guselkumab and placebo. Through the end of the reporting period, safety event rates were lower than or comparable to the placebo-controlled period in guselkumab-treated patients: AEs, 169/100 PY; infections, 65.9/100 PY; serious AEs, 5.3/100 PY; AEs leading to discontinuation, 1.6/100 PY; serious infections, 0.9/100 PY; malignancy, 0.7/100 PY; and MACE, 0.3/100 PY. There were no cases of Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, opportunistic infection or active tuberculosis related to guselkumab. CONCLUSIONS: In this comprehensive analysis of 2891 guselkumab-treated patients with psoriasis followed for up to 5 years (8662 PY), guselkumab demonstrated favourable safety, consistent with previous reports. Safety event rates in guselkumab-treated patients were similar to those observed with placebo and were consistent throughout long-term treatment.

Secukinumab long-term efficacy and safety in psoriasis through to year 5 of treatment: results of a randomized extension of the phase III ERASURE and FIXTURE trials.

BACKGROUND: In the long-term extension study of the ERASURE and FIXTURE trials, the efficacy of secukinumab (a fully human anti-interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody) was demonstrated to have been maintained through to year 3 of treatment in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of secukinumab through to year 5 of treatment in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. METHODS: Responders with ≥ 75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75) from two core trials - ERASURE and FIXTURE - were randomized 2 : 1 at year 1 (end of core trials) to either the same dose (300 or 150 mg, continuous treatment) or placebo (treatment withdrawal) every 4 weeks, until year 3 or relapse (> 50% reduction in maximal PASI from core study baseline). Partial responders (achieving PASI 50 but not PASI 75) at year 1 continued at the same dose as in the core trials. At year 3, all patients received open-label secukinumab treatment, with those on secukinumab 300 mg continuing on their dose, while those on secukinumab 150 mg or placebo received secukinumab 150 or 300 mg based on the physician's discretion. The study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT01544595. RESULTS: Most patients randomized to placebo at year 1 relapsed, but the response was rapidly recaptured upon reinitiation of treatment. PASI responses were sustained with secukinumab through to year 5. The PASI responses for the 300 mg responders + partial responders group at year 1 (PASI 75/90/100: 86.8%/72.8%/45.9%) trended downwards until year 3 (PASI 75/90/100: 82.3%/58.4%/32.7%) and then remained stable through year 4 (PASI 75/90/100: 83.3%/60.1%/32.2%) until year 5 (PASI 75/90/100: 81.1%/62.8%/35.1%). Dermatology Life Quality Index showed sustained benefit up to year 5. Absolute PASI responses were maintained throughout the study. The most common adverse events (AEs) were infections and infestations, nasopharyngitis, and upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). The overall exposure-adjusted incidence rate (EAIR; with 95% confidence interval) for all AEs was 139.9 (130.3-149.9). EAIRs for Crohn's disease and neutropenia were 0.1 (0.0-0.3) and 0.5 (0.3-0.8), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The 4-year extension of two pivotal phase III trials demonstrated that secukinumab treatment was effective through to year 5 and improved quality of life in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The most common AEs were infections and infestations, nasopharyngitis, and URTIs. The safety profile was consistent with that in the secukinumab phase II/III clinical development programme.

Bimekizumab maintenance of response through 3†years in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: results from the BE BRIGHT open-label extension trial.

BACKGROUND: Given the chronic nature of psoriasis and the loss of response that can be observed with therapies over time, it is important to understand the long-term efficacy of new treatments. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate maintenance of Week 16 responses with bimekizumab (BKZ) treatment through Year 3, in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. METHODS: Data were pooled from BKZ-treated patients in the 52-week (BE VIVID) and 56-week (BE READY and BE SURE) phase III studies, and their ongoing open-label extension (OLE), BE BRIGHT. Efficacy outcomes are reported through 3 years of BKZ treatment in patients with an efficacy response at Week 16. Missing data were imputed primarily using modified nonresponder imputation (mNRI), with nonresponder imputation and observed case data also reported. RESULTS: A total of 989 patients were randomized to BKZ at baseline in BE VIVID, BE READY and BE SURE. At Week 16, 693 patients achieved ≥ 90% reduction from baseline in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 90), 503 achieved 100% reduction from baseline in PASI (PASI 100), 694 achieved absolute PASI ≤ 2 and 597 achieved body surface area (BSA) ≤ 1%, and continued into the OLE. Of these, 93.0% maintained PASI 90, 80.8% maintained PASI 100, 94.0% maintained PASI ≤ 2 and 90.3% maintained BSA ≤ 1% responses through to 3 years of BKZ treatment (mNRI). Among Week 16 PASI 90 responders, 96.8% and 72.5% also achieved Investigator's Global Assessment 0/1 and PASI 100 at Week 16, respectively, and 92.2% and 73.4% achieved these responses at Year 3 (mNRI). Among Week 16 PASI 100 responders, 76.3% also achieved Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) 0/1 at Week 16, and DLQI 0/1 response increased with continuous BKZ treatment to 89.0% at Year 3 (mNRI). CONCLUSIONS: High levels of clinical response were maintained through to 3 years of BKZ treatment in the vast majority of Week 16 responders. Long-term treatment with BKZ was efficacious, with important benefits for health-related quality of life, in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Malignancy rates through 5 years of follow-up in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with guselkumab: Pooled results from the VOYAGE 1 and VOYAGE 2 trials.

BACKGROUND: Malignancy risk surveillance among patients receiving long-term immunomodulatory psoriasis treatments remains an important safety objective. OBJECTIVE: To report malignancy rates in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with guselkumab for up to 5 years versus general and psoriasis patient populations. METHODS: Cumulative rates of malignancies/100 patient-years (PY) were evaluated in 1721 guselkumab-treated patients from VOYAGE 1 and 2. Malignancy rates (excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer [NMSC]) were compared with rates in the Psoriasis Longitudinal Assessment and Registry. Standardized incidence ratios comparing malignancy rates (excluding NMSC and cervical cancer in situ) between guselkumab-treated patients and the general US population using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data were calculated, adjusting for age, sex, and race. RESULTS: Of 1721 guselkumab-treated patients (>7100 PY), 24 had NMSC (0.34/100PY; basal:squamous cell carcinoma ratio, 2.2:1), and 32 had malignancies excluding NMSC (0.45/100PY). For comparison, the malignancy rate excluding NMSC was 0.68/100PY in the Psoriasis Longitudinal Assessment and Registry. Malignancy rates (excluding NMSC/cervical cancer in situ) in guselkumab-treated patients were consistent with those expected in the general US population (standardized incidence ratio = 0.93). LIMITATIONS: Inherent imprecision in determining malignancy rates. CONCLUSIONS: In patients treated with guselkumab for up to 5 years, malignancy rates were low and generally consistent with rates in general and psoriasis patient populations.

Bimekizumab versus ustekinumab for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (BE VIVID): efficacy and safety from a 52-week, multicentre, double-blind, active comparator and placebo controlled phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: There is an unmet need for a treatment for psoriasis that results in complete skin clearance with a reliably quick response. Bimekizumab is a monoclonal IgG1 antibody that selectively inhibits interleukin (IL)-17F in addition to IL-17A. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of bimekizumab with placebo and ustekinumab in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis over 52 weeks. METHODS: BE VIVID was a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, active comparator and placebo controlled phase 3 trial done across 105 sites (clinics, hospitals, research units, and private practices) in 11 countries in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. Adults aged 18 years or older with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index [PASI] score ≥12, ≥10% body surface area affected by psoriasis, and Investigator's Global Assessment [IGA] score ≥3 on a five point scale) were included. Randomisation was stratified by geographical region and previous exposure to biologics; patients, investigators, and sponsors were masked to treatment assignment. Patients were randomly assigned (4:2:1) using an interactive response technology to bimekizumab 320 mg every 4 weeks, ustekinumab 45 mg or 90 mg (baseline weight-dependent dosing) at weeks 0 and 4, then every 12 weeks, or placebo every 4 weeks. At week 16, patients receiving placebo switched to bimekizumab 320 mg every 4 weeks. All study treatments were administered as two subcutaneous injections. Coprimary endpoints were the proportion of patients with 90% improvement in the PASI (PASI90) and the proportion of patients with an IGA response of clear or almost clear (score 0 or 1) at week 16 (non-responder imputation). Efficacy analyses included the intention-to-treat population; safety analysis included patients who received at least one dose of study treatment. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03370133 (completed). FINDINGS: Between Dec 6, 2017, and Dec 13, 2019, 735 patients were screened and 567 were enrolled and randomly assigned (bimekizumab 320 mg every 4 weeks n=321, ustekinumab 45 mg or 90 mg every 12 weeks n=163, placebo n=83). At week 16, 273 (85%) of 321 patients in the bimekizumab group had PASI90 versus 81 (50%) of 163 in the ustekinumab group (risk difference 35 [95% CI 27-43]; p<0·0001) and four (5%) of 83 in the placebo group (risk difference 80 [74-86]; p<0·0001). At week 16, 270 (84%) patients in the bimekizumab group had an IGA response versus 87 (53%) in the ustekinumab group (risk difference 30 [95% CI 22-39]; p<0·0001) and four (5%) in the placebo group (risk difference 79 [73-85]; p<0·0001). Over 52 weeks, serious treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 24 (6%) of 395 patients in the bimekizumab group (including those who switched from placebo at week 16) and 13 (8%) of 163 in the ustekinumab group. INTERPRETATION: Bimekizumab was more efficacious than ustekinumab and placebo in the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The bimekizumab safety profile was consistent with that observed in previous studies. FUNDING: UCB Pharma.

Consistent safety profile with up to 5 years of continuous treatment with guselkumab: Pooled analyses from the phase 3 VOYAGE 1 and VOYAGE 2 trials of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Guselkumab effectively treats moderate-to-severe psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cumulative safety experience of guselkumab using pooled data from the VOYAGE 1 and 2 studies through 5 years. METHODS: Patients were randomized to guselkumab, placebo with crossover to guselkumab at week 16, or adalimumab. The studies were identical through week 24. VOYAGE 1 evaluated continuous guselkumab treatment (adalimumab-crossover-to-guselkumab at week 52), while VOYAGE 2 assessed randomized withdrawal/retreatment (weeks 28-76). Open-label guselkumab treatment was administered starting at week 52 in VOYAGE 1 and week 76 in VOYAGE 2 and continued through week 252. Pooled safety data were adjusted by exposure and analyzed in the guselkumab groups, including placebo-crossover-to-guselkumab (n = 1221) and adalimumab-crossover-to-guselkumab (n = 500), through week 264. RESULTS: Patients were followed for a total of 7166 patient-years (PY). Overall, 1349 of 1721 guselkumab-treated patients (78.4%) continued treatment through week 252. The rates of adverse and serious adverse events were 149/100 PY and 5.01/100 PY, respectively. Rates of adverse events of interest were low: serious infections (0.85/100 PY), nonmelanoma skin cancer (0.34/100 PY), malignancies other than nonmelanoma skin cancer (0.45/100 PY), and major adverse cardiovascular events (0.29/100 PY). Year-to-year variability was evident, but no increasing trend was observed. LIMITATIONS: No direct treatment comparisons were possible after week 52. CONCLUSION: The safety profile remained consistent and favorable during 5 years of continuous guselkumab treatment of psoriasis.

Long-term 2-year safety and efficacy of tralokinumab in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: Interim analysis of the ECZTEND open-label extension trial.

BACKGROUND: Additional long-term treatments are needed for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD). An ongoing, open-label, 5-year extension trial, ECZTEND (NCT03587805), assesses tralokinumab plus optional topical corticosteroids in participants from previous tralokinumab parent trials (PTs) with moderate-to-severe AD. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of up to 2 years tralokinumab treatment in a post hoc interim analysis. METHODS: Safety analyses included adults from completed PTs enrolled in ECZTEND, regardless of tralokinumab exposure duration. Efficacy analyses included adult participants treated with tralokinumab in ECZTEND for ≥1 year and subgroup analyses of those on tralokinumab for 2 years (1 year from PT, 1 year in ECZTEND). Primary end point was the number of adverse events with additional efficacy end points. RESULTS: Participants on tralokinumab had an exposure-adjusted rate of 237.8 adverse events/100 patient-years' exposure (N = 1174) in the safety analysis set. Exposure-adjusted incidence rates of common adverse events were comparable to PTs, although at lower rates. With 2 years of tralokinumab, improvements in extent and severity of AD were sustained, with Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-75) in 82.5% of participants (N = 345). LIMITATIONS: Possible selection bias; no placebo arm; some participants experienced treatment gaps between PTs and ECZTEND. CONCLUSION: Over 2 years, tralokinumab was well tolerated and maintained long-term control of AD signs and symptoms.

Reduced risk of mortality associated with systemic psoriasis treatment in the Psoriasis Longitudinal Assessment and Registry (PSOLAR): A nested case-control analysis.

BACKGROUND: The effects of systemic therapy on mortality risk among patients with psoriasis are not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of systemic treatment on mortality risk in patients enrolled in the Psoriasis Longitudinal Assessment and Registry. METHODS: Nested case-control analyses were performed to estimate mortality risk. Cases were defined as patients who died while participating in the Psoriasis Longitudinal Assessment and Registry. Cases were matched (1:4) with controls by age, race, sex, and geographic region. Evaluated treatments included methotrexate, ustekinumab, and tumor necrosis factor α inhibitors. Exposure was defined as at least 1 dose of treatment within 3 months before death and was stratified by duration of therapy. RESULTS: Among 12,090 patients, 341 deaths occurred, matched to 1364 controls. Biologic treatment within the preceding 3 months was protective against mortality versus no exposure: odds ratio (OR) for exposure of less than 1 year, 0.08 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.03-0.23); OR for exposure of 1 year or longer, 0.09 (95% CI, 0.06-0.13). Methotrexate was protective against mortality only with exposure for 1 year or longer (OR, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.02-0.28). LIMITATIONS: Observational studies are subject to unmeasured confounding. CONCLUSIONS: Biologic therapy was associated with reduced mortality risk in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, regardless of treatment duration; methotrexate reduced risk only with exposure for 1 year or longer.

The use of noninvasive imaging techniques in the diagnosis of melanoma: a prospective diagnostic accuracy study.

BACKGROUND: Early detection of melanoma is crucial to improving the detection of thin curable melanomas. Noninvasive, computer-assisted methods have been developed to use at the bedside to aid in diagnoses but have not been compared directly in a clinical setting. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a prospective diagnostic accuracy study comparing a dermatologist's clinical examination at the bedside, teledermatology, and noninvasive imaging techniques (FotoFinder, MelaFind, and Verisante Aura). METHODS: A total of 184 patients were recruited prospectively from an outpatient dermatology clinic, with lesions imaged, assessed, and excised. Skin specimens were assessed by 2 blinded pathologists, providing the gold standard comparison. RESULTS: Fifty-nine lesions from 56 patients had a histopathologic diagnosis of melanoma, whereas 150 lesions from 128 patients were diagnosed as benign. Sensitivities and specificities were, respectively, MelaFind (82.5%, 52.4%), Verisante Aura (21.4%, 86.2%), and FotoFinder Moleanalyzer Pro (88.1%, 78.8%). The sensitivity and specificity of the teledermoscopist (84.5% and 82.6%, respectively) and local dermatologist (96.6% and 32.2%, respectively) were also compared. LIMITATIONS: There are inherent limitations in using pathology as the gold standard to compare sensitivities and specificities. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the highest sensitivity and specificity of the instruments were established with the FotoFinder Moleanalyzer Pro, which could be a valuable tool to assist with, but not replace, clinical decision making.

Serious Gastrointestinal-Related Adverse Events Among Psoriasis Patients Treated With Guselkumab in VOYAGE 1 and VOYAGE 2.

BACKGROUND: Anti-interleukin (IL)-17 biologic agents used to treat psoriasis are associated with onset/exacerbation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of IBD or serious gastrointestinal-related adverse events (GI SAEs) in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with guselkumab, an IL-23p19 inhibitor that indirectly inhibits IL-17, through 4 years in the phase 3 VOYAGE 1 and VOYAGE 2 trials. METHODS: Patients were randomized to guselkumab 100 mg every-8-weeks or placebo→guselkumab (week 16), or adalimumab. In VOYAGE 1, all patients received open-label guselkumab starting at week 52. In VOYAGE 2, eligible patients were treated with guselkumab or placebo based on clinical response starting at week 28 and received open-label guselkumab starting at week 76. Cumulative incidence rates of IBD and other GI SAEs were calculated as events per 100 patient-years (PY) through week 204. IBD was defined as AEs of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Data were summarized for all guselkumab-treated patients for years 1-4. RESULTS: Of 1721 guselkumab-treated patients, 1612 were exposed for ≥1 year, 1545 for ≥2 years, 1454 for ≥3 years, and 661 for ≥4 years. For all patients through week 204, the cumulative rate of GI SAEs was 0.45/100PY. Event rates remained stable with longer duration of exposure, ranging from 0.36 to 0.57/100PY. No new or exacerbated cases of IBD were reported. CONCLUSIONS: No cases of IBD were observed and rates of GI SAEs were low through 4 years of treatment with guselkumab in two large trials of patients with psoriasis. J Drugs Dermatol. 2021;20(8):855-860. doi:10.36849/JDD.6216 THIS ARTICLE HAD BEEN MADE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO ACCESS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS ARTICLE WITHOUT LOGGING IN. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PLEASE CONTACT THE PUBLISHER WITH ANY QUESTIONS.

Guselkumab versus secukinumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis (ECLIPSE): results from a phase 3, randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Antibodies targeting interleukin (IL)-23 and IL-17A effectively treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis. ECLIPSE is the first comparator study of an IL-23p19 inhibitor, guselkumab, versus an IL-17A inhibitor, secukinumab. The primary objective of this study was to show superiority of clinical response at week 48 for guselkumab versus secukinumab. METHODS: In this phase 3, multicentre, double-blind, randomised, comparator-controlled trial at 142 outpatient clinical sites in nine countries (Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and the USA), eligible patients were aged 18 years or older, had moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis, and were candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy. Eligible patients were randomly assigned with permuted block randomisation using an interactive web response system to receive either guselkumab (100 mg at weeks 0 and 4 then every 8 weeks) or secukinumab (300 mg at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4, and then every 4 weeks). The primary endpoint, the proportion of patients in the intention-to-treat population who achieved 90% reduction or more from baseline of Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 90 response) at week 48, and major secondary endpoints (the proportions of patients in the guselkumab group and in the secukinumab group who achieved a PASI 75 response at both weeks 12 and 48, a PASI 90 response at week 12, a PASI 75 response at week 12, a PASI 100 response at week 48, an Investigator's Global Assessment [IGA] score of 0 [cleared] at week 48, and an IGA score of 0 or 1 [minimal] at week 48) were to be tested in a fixed sequence to control type I error rate. Safety was evaluated in patients who received one or more doses of study drug from week 0 to 56. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03090100. FINDINGS: This study was done between April 27, 2017, and Sept 20, 2018. 1048 eligible patients were enrolled and, of these, 534 were assigned to receive guselkumab and 514 to receive secukinumab. The proportion of patients with a PASI 90 response at week 48 was greater in the guselkumab group (451 [84%]) than in the secukinumab group (360 [70%]; p<0·0001). Although non-inferiority (margin of 10 percentage points) was established for the first major secondary endpoint (452 [85%] of patients in the guselkumab group vs 412 [80%] of patients in the secukinumab group achieving a PASI 75 response at both weeks 12 and 48), superiority was not established (p=0·0616). Consequently, formal statistical testing was not done for subsequent major secondary endpoints. Proportions of patients with adverse events, infections, and serious adverse events were similar between the two treatments and, in general, safety findings were consistent with registrational trial observations. INTERPRETATION: Guselkumab showed superior long-term efficacy based on PASI 90 at week 48 when compared with secukinumab for treating moderate-to-severe psoriasis. This finding could assist health-care providers in their decision making process when selecting a biologic for treating moderate-to-severe psoriasis. FUNDING: This study was funded by Janssen Research & Development.

Ixekizumab treatment and the impact on SF-36: results from three pivotal phase III randomised controlled trials in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

PURPOSE: To assess improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with ixekizumab treatment in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. METHODS: Adults with plaque psoriasis were enrolled in phase III, double-blind, randomised, controlled trials (UNCOVER-1, UNCOVER-2, or UNCOVER-3). All 3 protocols included a 12-week, placebo-controlled induction period; UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3 also had an active-control group (50 mg etanercept) during induction. After induction, patients in UNCOVER-1 and UNCOVER-2 entered a 48-week withdrawal (maintenance) period (Weeks 12-60), during which Week-12 sPGA (0,1) responders were rerandomized to receive placebo, or 80 mg ixekizumab every 4 weeks (Q4W) or 12 weeks. As a secondary objective, HRQoL was measured by the generic Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form-36 (SF-36) at baseline and Weeks 12 and 60. Changes in mean SF-36 Physical and Mental Component Summary (PCS and MCS) and domain scores and proportions of patients reporting improvements ≥ minimal important differences in SF-36 scores were compared between groups. RESULTS: At Week 12, ixekizumab-treated patients (both dose groups in UNCOVER-1, -2, and -3) reported statistically significantly greater improvements in mean SF-36 PCS and MCS and all 8 SF-36 domain scores versus placebo. Further, more ixekizumab-treated patients than placebo-treated patients reported at least minimal treatment responses in SF-36 PCS and MCS scores and domain scores. Overall improvements in SF-36 PCS and MCS scores were maintained through Week 60. CONCLUSIONS: Ixekizumab-treated patients reported statistically significant improvements in HRQoL at 12 weeks that persisted through 1 year.

Phase 3 Trials of Ixekizumab in Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Two phase 3 trials (UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3) showed that at 12 weeks of treatment, ixekizumab, a monoclonal antibody against interleukin-17A, was superior to placebo and etanercept in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis. We report the 60-week data from the UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3 trials, as well as 12-week and 60-week data from a third phase 3 trial, UNCOVER-1. METHODS: We randomly assigned 1296 patients in the UNCOVER-1 trial, 1224 patients in the UNCOVER-2 trial, and 1346 patients in the UNCOVER-3 trial to receive subcutaneous injections of placebo (placebo group), 80 mg of ixekizumab every 2 weeks after a starting dose of 160 mg (2-wk dosing group), or 80 mg of ixekizumab every 4 weeks after a starting dose of 160 mg (4-wk dosing group). Additional cohorts in the UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3 trials were randomly assigned to receive 50 mg of etanercept twice weekly. At week 12 in the UNCOVER-3 trial, the patients entered a long-term extension period during which they received 80 mg of ixekizumab every 4 weeks through week 60; at week 12 in the UNCOVER-1 and UNCOVER-2 trials, the patients who had a response to ixekizumab (defined as a static Physicians Global Assessment [sPGA] score of 0 [clear] or 1 [minimal psoriasis]) were randomly reassigned to receive placebo, 80 mg of ixekizumab every 4 weeks, or 80 mg of ixekizumab every 12 weeks through week 60. Coprimary end points were the percentage of patients who had a score on the sPGA of 0 or 1 and a 75% or greater reduction from baseline in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75) at week 12. RESULTS: In the UNCOVER-1 trial, at week 12, the patients had better responses to ixekizumab than to placebo; in the 2-wk dosing group, 81.8% had an sPGA score of 0 or 1 and 89.1% had a PASI 75 response; in the 4-wk dosing group, the respective rates were 76.4% and 82.6%; and in the placebo group, the rates were 3.2% and 3.9% (P<0.001 for all comparisons of ixekizumab with placebo). In the UNCOVER-1 and UNCOVER-2 trials, among the patients who were randomly reassigned at week 12 to receive 80 mg of ixekizumab every 4 weeks, 80 mg of ixekizumab every 12 weeks, or placebo, an sPGA score of 0 or 1 was maintained by 73.8%, 39.0%, and 7.0% of the patients, respectively. Patients in the UNCOVER-3 trial received continuous treatment of ixekizumab from weeks 0 through 60, and at week 60, at least 73% had an sPGA score of 0 or 1 and at least 80% had a PASI 75 response. Adverse events reported during ixekizumab use included neutropenia, candidal infections, and inflammatory bowel disease. CONCLUSIONS: In three phase 3 trials involving patients with psoriasis, ixekizumab was effective through 60 weeks of treatment. As with any treatment, the benefits need to be weighed against the risks of adverse events. The efficacy and safety of ixekizumab beyond 60 weeks of treatment are not yet known. (Funded by Eli Lilly; UNCOVER-1, UNCOVER-2, and UNCOVER-3 ClinicalTrials.gov numbers NCT01474512, NCT01597245, and NCT01646177, respectively.).