Secukinumab is superior to ustekinumab in clearing skin of subjects with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: CLEAR, a randomized controlled trial

Personalizing Biologic Therapy in Psoriasis: Development, Validation, and User Testing of a Precision-Dosing Dashboard

An increasing number of individuals receiving psoriasis biologics achieve clear/nearly clear skin (disease control). Clinical trial data indicate that some maintain disease control with lower doses, especially those with higher serum drug concentrations. This indicates the potential of model-informed precision dosing, an advanced therapeutic drug-monitoring technique, to guide dose minimization. We developed, validated, and tested a precision-dosing dashboard. We applied a model-informed precision-dosing approach that leveraged Bayesian estimation to predict individual pharmacokinetic parameters for personalized dosing recommendations. A pharmacokinetic model of the exemplar biologic risankizumab derived from phases I-III psoriasis trial data (13,123 observations from 1899 patients) was externally validated using real-world data from the United Kingdom. The Bayesian model (posterior prediction: mean absolute error = 0.89 mg/l, mean percentage error = 19.55%, root mean square error = 1.24 mg/l, R2 = 0.86) had superior predictive power to the basic pharmacokinetic model (prior prediction). The model was incorporated into an interactive dashboard that enabled input of individual patient data (serum drug concentrations and model covariates). Healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom rated the dashboard as user friendly and acceptable. The mean time required to generate a dosing interval was 2 minutes. Our dashboard has the potential to incorporate other biologics and extend across disease contexts (nonresponse and other inflammatory diseases) for optimal real-world impact of precision dosing on health and cost outcomes.

Secukinumab for Treatment of Plaque Psoriasis in Real-World Clinical Practice in Spain: A Literature Review

Background/Objectives: Secukinumab was shown to be effective in treating moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults and pediatric patients ≥6 years. Methods: A literature review was conducted to identify studies published in the preceding 5 years assessing the effectiveness and/or survival (safety in the second instance) associated with secukinumab treatment for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis with/without psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in real-world clinical practice in Spain. Results: 11 references were included, corresponding to seven studies (six retrospective and one prospective) (n = 1050). Baseline characteristics were mean age 46.5-53.0 years; 28.7-55.0% women; 30.0-53.1% patients with PsA; 27.9-47.4% naïve to biologic treatments; mean Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score 12.5 (standard deviation [SD]: 6.9)-18.1 (SD: 10.3). PASI 90 response rates were 54-65% at Week 24 and 46-63% at Week 52; 43-47% of patients showed PASI ≤ 1 at Week 12 and 47-56% at Week 52. Treatment persistence at Week 52 was 72-89%, being 74.5% in the larger cohort series (n = 384) at 2 years. Adverse-event-related treatment discontinuation was rare. Conclusions: Secukinumab demonstrated long-term safety and efficacy in treating adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in actual clinical practice, with survival rates of up to two years and consistent efficacy in Spain.

Real-Life Data of Secukinumab in Patients with Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Ankylosing Spondylitis: Patient Baseline Characteristics Data from the PROMPT Study

INTRODUCTION

Secukinumab has proven to be effective and safe in psoriasis (PsO), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in the phase 3 studies. However, data on real-world practice is limited.

METHODS

This study is an ongoing, multicenter, 2-year observational study that focuses on patients with moderate to severe plaque PsO, active PsA, or AS receiving secukinumab. The aim of this study is to present baseline data for the entire study population.

RESULTS

A total of 127 patients were enrolled, with 101 having PsO, 12 with PsA, and 14 with AS. Among the patients, approximately 54.0% were male. The mean body mass index ranged from 25.0 to 27.4 kg/m2 across all groups. Patients with PsO had the longest disease duration with an average of 11.0 years, followed by AS (3.0 years) and PsA (1.0 year). Previous biologic therapy was observed in 6.9-8.1% of patients. Baseline disease severity scores revealed moderate to severe disease. In the PsO group, the mean Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score was 16.1. For patients with PsA, the mean Tender Joint Count was 9.1, and the mean Swollen Joint Count was 6.7. In the AS group, the mean Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index score was 4.6, and the mean Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score was 3.7.

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrates disease durations, disease activity, and treatment history in Thai patients that were generally consistent with previous randomized controlled studies. Long-term data on the efficacy and safety of the treatment will be presented in future publications.

Biosimilar SB17 versus reference ustekinumab in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis after switching: phase 3 study results up to week 52

INTRODUCTION

SB17 is a biosimilar to reference ustekinumab (UST). We compared the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of SB17 to UST up to Week 52, including switching from UST to SB17.

METHODS

Subjects were randomized to receive 45 mg of SB17 or UST subcutaneously up to Week 40. At Week 28, subjects from the UST treatment group were re-randomized to either switch to SB17 or continue UST. Efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity were assessed up to Week 52.

RESULTS

Among baseline randomized 503 subjects, 481 subjects were re-randomized at Week 28; continuing SB17 (SB17 + SB17, n = 237), switching from UST to SB17 (UST+SB17, n = 122) or continuing UST (UST+UST, n = 122). The percent change from baseline in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was comparable between treatment groups up to Week 52 (SB17 + SB17: 95.8%, UST+SB17: 95.6%, UST+UST: 94.5% at Week 52). Other efficacy endpoints were also comparable. The incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (SB17 + SB17: 16.5%, UST+SB17: 13.9%, UST+UST: 23.8%) and the overall incidence of anti-drug antibodies occurring after transition were comparable between treatment groups (SB17 + SB17: 5.6%, UST+SB17: 5.1%, and UST+UST: 6.7%).

CONCLUSION

SB17 demonstrated clinical biosimilarity to UST after switching from UST, and maintained long-term comparable efficacy and safety with UST up to Week 52.

Indirect comparison of deucravacitinib and other systemic treatments for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in Asian populations: A systematic literature review and network meta-analysis

Expanding the systemic treatment options for patients with psoriasis, deucravacitinib, an oral, selective, allosteric tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor is approved in the United States, European Union, China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and other countries for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy. Evidence suggests the comparative efficacy of systemic therapies may be different in Asian versus White patients. This systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) evaluated the clinical efficacy associated with deucravacitinib and other biologic or non-biologic systemic treatments for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in Asian populations. Electronic databases were searched to identify randomized trials of the interventions of interest. Multinomial random effects models adjusting for baseline placebo risk were used to estimate Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) responses at weeks 10-16. Of 8596 studies identified, 20 were included in the NMA. The estimated PASI 75 and 90 (95% credible interval) response rates for deucravacitinib were estimated to be 66% (49%-80%) and 40% (24%-58%) in Asian populations, notably higher than placebo (6% [4%-9%] and 1% [0.8-2%]) and apremilast (24% [12%-40%] and 9% [4%-20%]). No statistically significant difference was observed in PASI 75 and 90 responses between deucravacitinib and adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, infliximab, ustekinumab, and tildrakizumab. Deucravacitinib demonstrated robust efficacy in the Asian population, with PASI 75 and 90 responses comparable to some biologics. Deucravacitinib provides a convenient oral therapy with efficacy similar to several biologic therapies.

Advances in the management of psoriatic arthritis in adults

Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory arthritis that affects around 30% of patients with psoriasis. The disease spectrum includes peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, tenosynovitis, dactylitis, axial involvement, and skin and nail psoriasis in most patients. In addition to the cutaneous and musculoskeletal manifestations, several comorbidities can complicate the disease course, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, gout, anxiety, and depression. The management of patients with psoriatic arthritis begins with a careful assessment of the skin and joints and screening for comorbidities. This review describes the assessment tools and outcome measures used in the evaluation of patients with psoriatic arthritis. It summarizes the approach to therapy, including non-medicinal interventions such as education, lifestyle changes, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. It discusses the evidence on pharmacologic treatments, including drugs used for symptomatic relief such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and those used to control the disease process; this last group comprises conventional synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), including methotrexate, leflunomide, and sulfasalazine, and biologic and targeted DMARDs, including anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNFα), anti-interleukin-17 (IL-17), anti-IL-12/23, and anti-IL-23 agents, as well as Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors and phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) antagonists. Although these drugs are usually tailored to the clinical profile of the patient, biomarkers predictive of response to therapy are needed so that a more personalized approach can be followed.

Bimekizumab efficacy and safety in Korean patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: A phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study

Bimekizumab treatment has demonstrated significant improvements in clinical outcomes in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis; however, studies so far have focused on predominantly White patient populations from North America and Europe, with one smaller study in a Japanese population. Here, clinical responses, safety, and tolerability of bimekizumab treatment in Korean patients are reported. Korean patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis were randomized to bimekizumab 320 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W) or placebo Q4W to week 16. Co-primary efficacy end points were achievement of ≥90% improvement from baseline in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 90) and Investigator's Global Assessment score of 0/1 (clear/almost clear) at week 16. Secondary efficacy end points included achievement of PASI 75 at week 4 and Dermatology Life Quality Index 0/1 at week 16. Safety outcomes were also assessed. Statistical analysis of the co-primary efficacy end points was performed using a type I error rate, at a two-sided α level of 0.05. Overall, 47 Korean patients were randomized to treatment (bimekizumab: 32, placebo: 15). At week 16, bimekizumab-treated patients had significantly higher clinical responses versus placebo-treated patients (PASI 90: 81.3% vs. 0%; IGA 0/1: 87.5% vs. 0%, p < 0.001 for both). Bimekizumab showed a rapid onset of clinical response, with 75.0% of patients achieving PASI 75 by week 4 (0% in placebo patients [nominal p < 0.001]). A higher proportion of bimekizumab-treated patients achieved DLQI 0/1 at week 16 (46.9% vs. 6.7% in placebo patients, nominal p = 0.007), indicating greater improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) following bimekizumab treatment. Bimekizumab was well-tolerated in Korean patients, with no new safety signals identified. Treatment with bimekizumab led to rapid improvements in clinical responses and HRQoL versus placebo in Korean patients, consistent with responses in global populations. These findings suggest that bimekizumab is an effective and well-tolerated treatment option in Korean patients with psoriasis.

Performance of two large language models for data extraction in evidence synthesis

Accurate data extraction is a key component of evidence synthesis and critical to valid results. The advent of publicly available large language models (LLMs) has generated interest in these tools for evidence synthesis and created uncertainty about the choice of LLM. We compare the performance of two widely available LLMs (Claude 2 and GPT-4) for extracting pre-specified data elements from 10 published articles included in a previously completed systematic review. We use prompts and full study PDFs to compare the outputs from the browser versions of Claude 2 and GPT-4. GPT-4 required use of a third-party plugin to upload and parse PDFs. Accuracy was high for Claude 2 (96.3%). The accuracy of GPT-4 with the plug-in was lower (68.8%); however, most of the errors were due to the plug-in. Both LLMs correctly recognized when prespecified data elements were missing from the source PDF and generated correct information for data elements that were not reported explicitly in the articles. A secondary analysis demonstrated that, when provided selected text from the PDFs, Claude 2 and GPT-4 accurately extracted 98.7% and 100% of the data elements, respectively. Limitations include the narrow scope of the study PDFs used, that prompt development was completed using only Claude 2, and that we cannot guarantee the open-source articles were not used to train the LLMs. This study highlights the potential for LLMs to revolutionize data extraction but underscores the importance of accurate PDF parsing. For now, it remains essential for a human investigator to validate LLM extractions.

Comparison of Drug-Free Remission after the End of Phase III Trials of Three Different Anti-IL-23 Inhibitors in Psoriasis

INTRODUCTION

Knowing the remission duration after biologics discontinuation in patients with psoriasis is important, especially when disease relapse is defined as the restart of systemic agents, because it also reflects the real-world clinical practice when topical treatment alone is not adequate for disease control, and a systemic treatment, including biologic, is needed. Biologics are currently indicated for patients with psoriasis who are candidates for systemic treatments.

METHODS

We included 42 patients who were followed up with regularly after the end of risankizumab, guselkumab and mirikizumab trials and investigated the drug-free remission (DFR). A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression model were employed to identify the possible risk factors for relapse.

RESULTS

Overall, 38/42 (90.5%) patients experienced relapses after discontinuing trial biologics during the follow-up period of at least 96 weeks and up to 227 weeks. In all patients with relapse, the median DFR was 104 days. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a significant 1-year drug-free survival (DFS) difference between risankizumab (Z) and guselkumab (T) + mirikizumab (M) (p = 0.0462). A difference in DFS curves was noted when patients were categorized by disease duration > or ≤ 2 years (p = 0.1577) and maintenance of a psoriasis area and severity index score (PASI) of 90 at the end of trials (p = 0.1177). Univariate Cox regression model identified that age [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.030 (1.000-1.060), p = 0.0467] and disease duration [HR = 1.046(1.009-1.084), p = 0.0134] were significantly associated with relapse risk. A risk model was established on the basis of multivariable Cox regression results. Risk value = 0.021038 * Age + 0.515628 * Biologic_type (Z = 0,T/M = 1) + 0.025048 * Disease_Duration. The validated patients were divided into two groups by median risk value (1.5). The high-risk group (risk value > 1.5) had a non-significant higher relapse risk than the low-risk group (risk value < 1.5), with a hazard ratio of 1.62 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.82-3.23, p = 0.1809].

CONCLUSION

Types of biologics used, disease duration > or ≤ 2 years, and PASI 90 improvement at the end of trial affect the 1-year DFS after biologics discontinuation. Further studies consisting of a larger patient number and longer follow-up period are needed to verify our findings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers NCT02694523, NCT03047395, NCT02207224, NCT02576431, NCT03482011, and NCT03556202.

Data extraction for evidence synthesis using a large language model: A proof-of-concept study

Data extraction is a crucial, yet labor-intensive and error-prone part of evidence synthesis. To date, efforts to harness machine learning for enhancing efficiency of the data extraction process have fallen short of achieving sufficient accuracy and usability. With the release of large language models (LLMs), new possibilities have emerged to increase efficiency and accuracy of data extraction for evidence synthesis. The objective of this proof-of-concept study was to assess the performance of an LLM (Claude 2) in extracting data elements from published studies, compared with human data extraction as employed in systematic reviews. Our analysis utilized a convenience sample of 10 English-language, open-access publications of randomized controlled trials included in a single systematic review. We selected 16 distinct types of data, posing varying degrees of difficulty (160 data elements across 10 studies). We used the browser version of Claude 2 to upload the portable document format of each publication and then prompted the model for each data element. Across 160 data elements, Claude 2 demonstrated an overall accuracy of 96.3% with a high test-retest reliability (replication 1: 96.9%; replication 2: 95.0% accuracy). Overall, Claude 2 made 6 errors on 160 data items. The most common errors (n = 4) were missed data items. Importantly, Claude 2's ease of use was high; it required no technical expertise or labeled training data for effective operation (i.e., zero-shot learning). Based on findings of our proof-of-concept study, leveraging LLMs has the potential to substantially enhance the efficiency and accuracy of data extraction for evidence syntheses.

Psoriasis with Leg Involvement as the New Difficult-To-Treat Area: A Cohort Study of Patients Treated With Risankizumab

INTRODUCTION

Historically, difficult-to-treat areas in psoriasis included face, scalp, folds, genitalia, nails, and palmoplantar region. Recent studies have found that lower limbs behave like a "new" difficult-to-treat area as they can be the only site of residual disease even in patients undergoing biologic therapies.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate whether legs had different response rates and response times to treatment with a new biologic drug, risankizumab, compared to other body sites.

METHODS

We conducted a real-life, observational, retrospective, multicenter study including patients affected by moderate-to-severe psoriasis with leg involvement and undergoing biological therapy with risankizumab for more than 16 weeks. The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) and Leg-PASI were collected at T0 and at weeks 16, 28, 40, 52, 64, and 76. Statistical analysis using Student's t test and linear regression analysis were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 124 patients were included. The difference between the improvement percentage compared to baseline was statistically significant at weeks 16 and 28, demonstrating that Leg-PASI improved less than PASI. From the linear regression it was deduced that the slope is statistically less steep for Leg-PASI than for overall PASI, confirming that this site responds more slowly to the therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Leg response to risankizumab appears to differ significantly from other body sites in the first weeks of treatment, even if after 28 weeks, statistical significance is lost. Our preliminary finding suggests that risankizumab can be considered an effective treatment for leg psoriasis but with longer response times than other areas, demonstrating the relative nature of resistance to treatment of this district.

Effectiveness and Drug Survival of Ixekizumab and Secukinumab in Patients with Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis: Real-World Data from Bucharest, Romania

Purpose

Multiple biological therapies have been developed for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, including moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Choosing the optimal treatment for psoriasis can depend on several factors and is strongly influenced by a drug's efficacy and safety profile. Continuous treatment with biological therapies is recommended to achieve effective disease management in patients with psoriasis. However, in real-world, patients often discontinue biologic therapy within the first year of treatment. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness and drug survival of two anti-interleukin 17 agents (ixekizumab and secukinumab) in a group of adult patients with moderate to severe psoriasis from Bucharest, Romania.

Patients and Methods

We designed an observational, non-interventional, retrospective study of 255 adult patients with moderate to severe psoriasis receiving ixekizumab and secukinumab. We performed descriptive statistics and inferential methods, such as z-test, median test and Kaplan Meier curve comparison, to characterize the groups with two biological treatments.

Results

Patients treated with ixekizumab had a longer drug survival compared to those treated with secukinumab with lower risks of non-persistence, discontinuation and switching therapy. Patients age-groups and psoriasis durations found to be significant factors in drug survival.

Conclusion

This study contributes to the understanding of the drug survival profile and the factors that may influence it in ixekizumab and secukinumab treatment in a real-world setting.

Research hotspots and trends in biological agents for psoriasis: Visualization and bibliometric analysis

Psoriasis is a global health concern, and biological therapies have proven to be highly effective in treating psoriatic patients in many countries. We performed a bibliometric analysis of current research on biological agents for the treatments of psoriasis, investigating research patterns and public interest in this area. We conducted a thorough review of articles on biological agents for psoriasis in the Web of Science Core Collection spanning from 2000 to 2022. Our study involved examining the distribution of these articles based on publication year, affiliations, countries, authors, and journals. To visualize this data effectively, we employed bibliometric tools like CiteSpace and the R package bibliometrix. Our analysis encompassed 8,047 publications. The number of papers published sharply increased from 2009, either reaching its peak in 2022 or not yet reaching it. The United States (n = 2,292), Kristian Reich (n = 166), and British Journal of Dermatology (n = 368) emerged as the top countries, author, and journal, respectively, in terms of publication productivity. The burst references predominantly focused on evaluating the safety and efficacy of biological treatments. The keyword citation network identified 11 clusters, with research themes revolving around "double blind", "efficacy", "therapy", "safety", and "psoriatic arthritis" were the research focuses. Additionally, potential future research areas such as "multicenter," "drug survival," and "severity" were emphasized. This study sheds light on the evolving research landscape and public interest in biological agents for psoriasis. The results suggest rapid expansion in this field, with the United States at the forefront. Enhanced international collaboration is recommended, and forthcoming research endeavors may concentrate on predicting treatment outcomes and adverse effects. Researching new biological agents, broadening the indications for biological agent treatment, and creating personalized treatment plans may pave the way for further research.

Effectiveness of secukinumab in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in a Saudi real-world setting

INTRODUCTION

Psoriasis (PsO) is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease that results in severe outcomes that impact the patient's quality of life and work productivity. We investigated the effectiveness of secukinumab in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) over a 12-month period.

METHODS

This was a longitudinal, retrospective study of the medical records of 81 patients with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis who had been treated with secukinumab for at least 12 weeks.

RESULTS

The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), Body Surface Area (BSA) percentage, and Dermatology Quality of Life Index (DLQI) among patients with PsO and PsO-PsA showed a statistically significant decrease from baseline over 12 months by approximately 9.86, 19.3%, and 9.7, respectively (p values < 0.001 for each). Moreover, there was a statistically significant decrease in the overall Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis score (DAPSA) by approximately 22.35 from baseline over 12 months of treatment (p < 0.001). Considering the patients who started secukinumab 12 months or more prior to the study cutoff date, the 12-month retention rate was 85%.

CONCLUSION

In a Saudi real-world setting, secukinumab proved to be an efficient medication with high efficacy and retention rates.

The Role of Interleukin 23/17 Axis in Psoriasis Management: A Comprehensive Review of Clinical Trials

Psoriasis pathogenesis is influenced by genetic factors and characterized by a complex interplay between genetic predisposition and various environmental triggers. These triggers set off metabolic processes involving inflammation, cell signaling, immune response dysregulation, and antigen presentation. Several types of innate and adaptive immune cells are involved in psoriasis. Among the cytokine cascade which leads to psoriasis development, the interleukin (IL)-23/Th17 axis, especially IL-17 production, emerges as crucial. Recognizing the pivotal role of this axis has facilitated the development of selective and effective biological drugs, such as anti-IL17 and anti-IL23 monoclonal antibodies. These drugs aim to achieve the complete or near-complete disappearance of psoriatic lesions, as indicated by PASI100 and PASI90 responses, respectively. In this context, the aim of our review was to delve into the functioning of the IL-23/Th17 axis, its dysregulation in psoriasis pathogenesis, and the therapeutic potential of its inhibition. Currently, 4 anti-IL17 (secukinumab, ixekizumab, bimekizumab and brodalumab) and 3 anti-IL23 (guselkumab, risankizumab and tildrakizumab) have been approved. All these drugs showed high levels of effectiveness in both clinical trials and real-life experiences, with an excellent profile in terms of safety. Certainly, furthers studies will allow for better characterization of biologics' profile, in order to administer the right drug for the right patients at the right moment.

Dose reduction is a feasible strategy in patients with plaque psoriasis who achieve sustained response with secukinumab: a retrospective, multicenter cohort study in daily practice setting

BACKGROUND

Biological therapy dose modification is a common practice in the long-term treatment of plaque psoriasis.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to determine prevalence, characteristics of patients, effectiveness, treatment survival of secukinumab dose reduction (SEC-DR) strategy and assess its safety and cost implications.

METHODS

A retrospective, observational, multicenter cohort study was conducted in patients with plaque psoriasis treated with secukinumab and up to 2 years of follow-up.

RESULTS

In 63/347 patients with an initial standard dose regimen, SEC-DR was tried at any moment in 18.2% of them after sustained response. In 51 patients, the interval between administrations was increased while in 12 patients, monthly dose was reduced to 150 mg. Successful SEC-DR was achieved in 77.8% of the patients, with sustained PASI response to the end of the study. Survival of secukinumab treatment and safety profile were not compromised by DR. The use of DR saved 33% of the cost, including failures in which standard treatment was resumed.

LIMITATIONS

The proper of the study designed and the arbitrary definition of "DR success."

CONCLUSION

Off-label SEC-DR strategy was used in patients with sustained response to standard dose regimen; this strategy showed long-term efficacy without compromising treatment survival or worsening the safety profile while also being cost saving.

Real-world safety and effectiveness of secukinumab in adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: results from postmarketing surveillance in Korea

Background

Secukinumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody, was approved in Korea for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis in September 2015.

Objectives

To assess the safety and effectiveness of secukinumab in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis in Korea.

Design

Multicenter, real-world, noninterventional study conducted over 6 years.

Methods

Adults with moderate to severe psoriasis were enrolled. Safety was assessed by evaluating adverse events (AEs), treatment-related AEs, and serious AEs (SAEs). Effectiveness was assessed using the change in absolute Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score, percentage of patients achieving PASI 75/90/100 and PASI ⩽2; at weeks 12 and 24.

Results

Overall, 829 and 542 patients were included in the safety and effectiveness sets, respectively. AEs, treatment-related AEs, and SAEs occurred in 29.0%, 9.5%, and 4.1% of patients, with incidence rates of 39.43, 12.98, and 5.59 per 100 patient years, respectively. The absolute PASI score decreased from 16.1 ± 7.1 (baseline) to 1.6 ± 2.4 (week 24), with a similar reduction in biologic-naïve (16.4 ± 7.3 to 1.5 ± 2.2) and biologic-experienced (14.8 ± 5.9 to 2.4 ± 3.2) groups. At week 24, PASI 75/90/100 was achieved by 95.1%, 62.4%, and 24.9% of patients. At week 24, PASI 75/90 were higher in biologic-naïve (96.6%/65.8%) than biologic-experienced patients (88.3%/48.6%), whereas PASI 100 was similar in both cohorts (24.1% and 28.6%). A similar trend in PASI ⩽ 2 was observed in both cohorts.

Conclusion

Secukinumab showed sustained effectiveness and favorable safety profile in adult patients with moderate to severe psoriasis in Korea.

A systematic review of 454 randomized controlled trials using the Dermatology Life Quality Index: experience in 69 diseases and 43 countries

BACKGROUND

Over 29 years of clinical application, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) has remained the most used patient-reported outcome (PRO) in dermatology due to its robustness, simplicity and ease of use.

OBJECTIVES

To generate further evidence of the DLQI's utility in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and to cover all diseases and interventions.

METHODS

The methodology followed PRISMA guidelines and included seven bibliographical databases, searching articles published from 1 January 1994 until 16 November 2021. Articles were reviewed independently by two assessors, and an adjudicator resolved any opinion differences.

RESULTS

Of 3220 screened publications, 454 articles meeting the eligibility criteria for inclusion, describing research on 198 190 patients, were analysed. DLQI scores were primary endpoints in 24 (5.3%) of studies. Most studies were of psoriasis (54.1%), although 69 different diseases were studied. Most study drugs were systemic (85.1%), with biologics comprising 55.9% of all pharmacological interventions. Topical treatments comprised 17.0% of total pharmacological interventions. Nonpharmacological interventions, mainly laser therapy and ultraviolet radiation treatment, comprised 12.2% of the total number of interventions. The majority of studies (63.7%) were multicentric, with trials conducted in at least 42 different countries; 40.2% were conducted in multiple countries. The minimal clinically importance difference (MCID) was reported in the analysis of 15.0% of studies, but only 1.3% considered full score meaning banding of the DLQI. Forty-seven (10.4%) of the studies investigated statistical correlation of the DLQI with clinical severity assessment or other PRO/quality of life tools; and 61-86% of studies had within-group scores differences greater than the MCID in 'active treatment arms'. The Jadad risk-of-bias scale showed that bias was generally low, as 91.8% of the studies had Jadad scores of ≥ 3; only 0.4% of studies showed a high risk of bias from randomization. Thirteen per cent had a high risk of bias from blinding and 10.1% had a high risk of bias from unknown outcomes of all participants in the studies. In 18.5% of the studies the authors declared that they followed an intention-to-treat protocol; imputation for missing DLQI data was used in 34.4% of studies.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review provides a wealth of evidence of the use of the DLQI in clinical trials to inform researchers' and -clinicians' decisions for its further use. Recommendations are also made for improving the reporting of data from future RCTs using the DLQI.

Keratinocyte Exosomes for Topical Delivery of Tofacitinib in Treatment of Psoriasis: an In Vitro/ In Vivo Study in Animal Model of Psoriasis

INTRODUCTION

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles in the range of 40-150 nm released from the cell membrane. Exosomes secreted by keratinocytes can communicate with other keratinocytes and immune cells with specific biomarkers at their surface, which may be effective on inflammation of psoriasis and its pathogenesis.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to formulate and study effectiveness of an exosomal delivery system of tofacitinib (TFC).

METHODS

TFC was loaded by different methods in exosomes and then characterized for particle size, zeta potential, drug loading efficiency, and release efficiency. By comparing these parameters, the probe sonication method was chosen to load TFC into exosomes. The MTT assay was used to compare the cytotoxicity of the free drug with the TFC-loaded exosomes (TFC-Exo), and Real-time PCR was used to determine the expression levels of several genes involved in psoriasis expressed in the A-431 keratinocyte and their suppression after treatment. Animal model of psoriasis was induced in BALB/c mice by imiquimod and the efficacy of free TFC, and TFC-Exo were studies on macroscopic appearance and histopathological symptoms.

RESULTS

Exosomes encapsulating TFC showed lower cytotoxicity in MTT assay, higher suppression the expression of TNF-a, IL-23, IL-6, and IL-15 genes in real-time PCR and better therapeutic effect on animal models compered to free TFC.

CONCLUSIONS

This method of drug delivery for TFC may be effective on enhancing its therapeutic effects and reduction its side effects favorably in chronic administration.

Hidradenitis suppurativa: new insights into disease mechanisms and an evolving treatment landscape

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), also known as acne inversa, is a chronic disabling and debilitating inflammatory disease with a high unmet medical need. The prevalence of HS reported in most studies is 1-2%, although it is likely to be under-reported and estimates vary globally owing to variance in data collection methods, ethnicity, geographical location and under-diagnosis. HS is characterized by persistent, painful cutaneous nodules, abscesses and draining tunnels commonly affecting the axillary, anogenital, inguinal and perianal/gluteal areas. Over time, chronic uncontrolled inflammation results in irreversible tissue destruction and scarring. Although the pathophysiology of HS has not been fully elucidated, the tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-17 pathways have an important role, involving multiple cytokines. Currently, treatment options include topical medications; systemic therapies, including repeated and/or rotational courses of systemic antibiotics, retinoids and hormonal therapies; and various surgical procedures. The anti-TNF-α antibody adalimumab is currently the only biologic approved by both the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency for HS; however, its efficacy varies, with a clinical response reported in approximately 50% of patients in phase III trials. HS is a rapidly evolving field of discovery, with a diverse range of agents with distinct mechanisms of action currently being explored in clinical trials. Several other promising therapeutic targets have recently emerged, and agents targeting the IL-17 and Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathways are the most advanced in ongoing or completed phase III clinical trials. Alongside limited therapeutic options, significant challenges remain in terms of diagnosis and disease management, with a need for better treatment outcomes. Other unmet needs include significant diagnostic delays, thus missing the therapeutic 'window of opportunity'; the lack of standardized outcome measures in clinical trials; and the lack of established, well-defined disease phenotypes and biomarkers.

Long-Term Drug Survival and Effectiveness of Secukinumab in Patients with Moderate to Severe Chronic Plaque Psoriasis: 42-Month Results from the SUPREME 2.0 Study

Purpose

SUPREME, a phase IIIb study conducted in Italy, demonstrated safety and high efficacy of secukinumab for up to 72 weeks in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis. SUPREME 2.0 study aimed to provide real-world data on the long-term drug survival and effectiveness of secukinumab beyond 72 weeks.

Patients and Methods

SUPREME 2.0 is a retrospective observational chart review study conducted in patients previously enrolled in SUPREME study. After the end of the SUPREME study, eligible patients continued treatment as per clinical practice, and their effectiveness and drug survival data were retrieved from medical charts.

Results

Of the 415 patients enrolled in the SUPREME study, 297 were included in SUPREME 2.0; of which, 210 (70.7%) continued secukinumab treatment throughout the 42-month observation period. Patients in the biologic-naïve cohort had higher drug survival than those in the biologic-experienced cohort (74.9% vs 61.7%), while HLA-Cw6-positive and HLA-Cw6-negative patients showed similar drug survival (69.3% and 71.9%). After 42 months, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90 was achieved by 79.6% of patients overall; with a similar proportion of biologic-naïve and biologic-experienced patients achieving PASI90 (79.8% and 79.1%). The mean absolute PASI score reduced from 21.94 to 1.38 in the overall population, 21.90 to 1.24 in biologic-naïve and 22.03 to 1.77 in biologic-experienced patients after 42 months. The decrease in the absolute PASI score was comparable between HLA-Cw6-positive and HLA-Cw6-negative patients. The baseline Dermatology Life Quality Index scores also decreased in the overall patients (10.5 to 2.32) and across all study sub-groups after 42 months. Safety was consistent with the known profile of secukinumab, with no new findings.

Conclusion

In this real-world cohort study, secukinumab showed consistently high long-term drug survival and effectiveness with a favourable safety profile.

A Systematic Review Evaluating the Effectiveness of Several Biological Therapies for the Treatment of Skin Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin illness that has the potential to manifest at any stage of life, it is most frequently observed in early adulthood. Biological drugs have significantly transformed the landscape of psoriasis treatment through the provision of focused therapy, which effectively mitigates inflammation and regulates the overproduction of skin cells. Notwithstanding the accessibility of these biological drugs, rigorous evaluations that juxtapose their safety and efficacy profiles are necessary. The objective of this study is to conduct a thorough investigation of the relative efficacy of these drugs in alleviating psoriasis symptoms and increasing the quality of life for patients by synthesizing the existing evidence. A comprehensive review was conducted to evaluate and compare the safety and effectiveness of different biochemical medicines utilized in the management of psoriasis. In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations, the review process was conducted among the available studies. A search was conducted across electronic databases, such as Web of Science, PubMed, and Embase, utilizing a combination of keywords and Mesh phrases pertaining to psoriasis, biological medications, and particular names of pharmaceuticals. In total, 475 studies were ascertained by the preliminary search of the database. After eliminating duplicate research, 358 distinct studies remained. After meticulous screening of titles and abstracts against the predefined inclusion criteria, 281 papers were deemed ineligible and thus excluded. For final inclusion, the whole texts of the remaining 77 studies were evaluated. Forty additional papers were removed during the full-text evaluation for a variety of reasons, including improper research design, or insufficient outcome data. Finally, 37 studies were included in this systematic review since they satisfied all inclusion criteria. The results of the current systematic review showed that all biological medications showed high efficacy in the treatment of skin psoriasis compared with placebo based on the clinical assessment outcomes using different tools such as PASI.

A systematic review investigating at what proportion clinical images are shared in prospective randomized controlled trials involving patients with psoriasis and biological agents

For many patients including those with psoriasis, scientific manuscripts comprising clinical outcomes including psoriasis area severity index (PASI) and/or physician global assessment (PGA) may be difficult to understand. However, most patients can relate to images at baseline and follow-up, particularly for dermatological diseases. This study aimed to assess the proportion of shared clinical images in psoriasis trials. A systematic review adhering to the PRISMA guidelines was performed. The review was limited to randomized controlled trials, and among these, only investigations involving biological agents for treatment of psoriasis were included. The Embase, MEDLINE and Scopus databases were searched for eligible studies published from inception to October 26, 2021. In total, 152 studies were included. When combining these, 62,871 patients were randomized. Overall, 203 images were shared depicting 60 patients in the manuscripts yielding an overall sharing rate of 0.1%. Patient images are seldom incorporated in clinical trial manuscripts which impairs interpretation for patients. Inclusion of image material would strengthen the patients' perspective and understanding on what treatment effects that can be expected. As such, this systematic review should be an invitation to the pharmaceutical industry, other sponsors, and editorial offices to improve easy transfer of information to patients using image data.

Cost-Effectiveness of Secukinumab Versus Other Biologics in the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis: The Chinese Healthcare System Perspective

INTRODUCTION

This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of secukinumab compared with other biologics (adalimumab, infliximab, ustekinumab, ixekizumab, guselkumab, and Yisaipu [etanercept biosimilar]) for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis from the Chinese healthcare system perspective.

METHODS

A decision-tree (first year)/Markov model (subsequent years), with an annual cycle, was implemented over a lifetime horizon. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) response rate at week 16 was used for treatment response. Efficacy inputs were obtained from a mixed-treatment comparison conducted using data from randomized controlled trials. Other clinical inputs (adverse events, dropout, and mortality rates), utility weights, and costs were derived from published literature and local Chinese sources. Both costs and outcomes were discounted at 5% per annum. Model outcomes included quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to test the robustness of results.

RESULTS

For patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, secukinumab generated the highest QALYs (12.334) against all comparators at a lifetime cost of ¥231,477. Secukinumab dominated (higher QALYs at lower costs) all other biologics except ixekizumab in this population. Compared with secukinumab, ixekizumab incurred slightly lower costs (¥228,320) but gained lesser QALYs (12.284). Thus, secukinumab was a cost-effective treatment than ixekizumab at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of ¥257,094 per QALY gained. In the one-way sensitivity analysis, base-case results were most sensitive to changes in the PASI response at 16 weeks and year 2+ dropout rates.

CONCLUSION

Secukinumab is the most cost-effective treatment option for patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis compared with other commonly used biologics from the Chinese healthcare system perspective.

Short-, Mid-, and Long-Term Efficacy of Deucravacitinib Versus Biologics and Nonbiologics for Plaque Psoriasis: A Network Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Deucravacitinib, a newly approved oral medication for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, demonstrated efficacy versus apremilast and placebo in two phase 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) indirectly compared deucravacitinib with other relevant systemic biologic/nonbiologic treatments.

METHODS

Online databases were searched for RCTs published through October 2021. Eligible studies were head-to-head comparisons between systemic therapies and/or placebo reporting 50%, 75%, 90%, or 100% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) from baseline in adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Comparisons included tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, interleukin (IL)-17, IL-23, and IL 12/23 inhibitors, and systemic nonbiologics. A multinomial Bayesian NMA was used to derive estimates of the relative efficacy of deucravacitinib and other systemic therapies. Response probabilities for each treatment and corresponding 95% credible intervals (CrIs) for achieving a PASI response were calculated over short-, mid-, and long-term follow-up (weeks 10-16, 24-28, and 44-60).

RESULTS

The NMA included 47 RCTs. Deucravacitinib showed the highest PASI 75 response rates among nonbiologic systemic therapies across time points. Deucravacitinib PASI 75 response rate (95% CrI) over short-term follow-up was 54.1% (46.5-61.6), within the range of first-generation biologics (etanercept, 39.7% [31.6-48.3]; infliximab, 79.0% [74.0-83.5]). At mid-term follow-up, deucravacitinib PASI 75 increased to 63.3% (58.0-68.4). At long-term follow-up, deucravacitinib PASI 75 was 65.9% (58.0-73.4), comparable to first-generation biologics adalimumab (62.8%; 55.3-69.6) and ustekinumab (68.0%; 64.6-71.5).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients receiving deucravacitinib were more likely to achieve PASI 75 response versus apremilast and methotrexate across all time points. The long-term PASI 75 response rate for deucravacitinib was similar to those of adalimumab and ustekinumab. The approval of deucravacitinib offers patients the choice of an oral therapy with long-term efficacy similar to that of some biologics.

Childhood guttate psoriasis: an updated review

Background

Guttate psoriasis is common and affects 0.5-2% of individuals in the paediatric age group. This review aims to familiarize physicians with the clinical manifestations, evaluation, diagnosis and proper management of guttate psoriasis.

Methods

A search was conducted in July 2023 in PubMed Clinical Queries using the key term "guttate psoriasis". The search strategy included all observational studies, clinical trials and reviews published within the past 10 years. The information retrieved from the search was used in the compilation of the present article.

Results

Guttate psoriasis typically presents with an abrupt onset of numerous, small, scattered, tear-drop-shaped, scaly, erythematous, pruritic papules and plaques. Sites of predilection include the trunk and proximal extremities. There may be a history of preceding streptococcal infection. Koebner phenomenon is characteristic. Guttate psoriasis may spontaneously remit within 3-4 months with no residual scarring, may intermittently recur and, in 40-50% of cases, may persist and progress to chronic plaque psoriasis. Given the possibility for spontaneous remission within several months, active treatment may not be necessary except for cosmetic purposes or because of pruritus. On the other hand, given the high rates of persistence of guttate psoriasis and progression to chronic plaque psoriasis, some authors suggest active treatment of this condition.

Conclusion

Various treatment options are available for guttate psoriasis. Triggering and exacerbating factors should be avoided if possible. Topical corticosteroids alone or in combination with other topical agents (e.g. tazarotene and vitamin D analogues) are the most rapid and efficient treatment for guttate psoriasis and are therefore the first-line treatment for mild cases. Other topical therapies include vitamin D analogues, calcineurin inhibitors, anthralin, coal tar and tazarotene. Ultraviolet phototherapy is the first-line therapy for moderate-to-severe guttate psoriasis, as it is more practical than topical therapy when treating widespread or numerous small lesions. Systemic immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapies (e.g. methotrexate, cyclosporine, retinoids, fumaric acid esters and biologics) may be considered for patients with moderate-to-severe guttate psoriasis who fail to respond to phototherapy and topical therapies.

Pharmacologic Treatment Strategies in Psoriatic Arthritis

PURPOSE

The goal of this narrative review was to provide current data on psoriatic arthritis (PsA) therapeutic strategies, supporting treatment decisions with a domain-based approach.

METHODS

This narrative review of treatment strategies for PsA focused on several disease domains (ie, peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, axial disease, dactylitis, skin and nail disease), as well as the so-called "related conditions" of uveitis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, international guidelines, and recent congress abstracts.

FINDINGS

Currently, multiple approved treatment options offer a wide range of options, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors; inhibitors of interleukin-17 (IL-17), IL-12/23 (IL-12/23), IL-23 (IL-23), and Janus kinase; the phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor apremilast; and the T-cell modulator abatacept. However, no treatment option shows clear superiority concerning efficacy on peripheral arthritis and dactylitis over the others, whereas limited evidence suggests that the IL-17 inhibitor ixekizumab and the IL-12/23 inhibitor ustekinumab may be superior to TNF inhibitors in treating enthesitis. Recent data on enthesitis have also shown promising results for methotrexate. Treatment of axial PsA is mostly derived from axial spondyloarthritis, and more data are needed focusing on this specific subgroup of PsA patients. Thus far, the most important finding from the only randomized controlled trial in this specific population is that the IL-17 inhibitor secukinumab was superior to placebo in terms of clinical and radiologic end-points in axial PsA. Regarding psoriatic skin involvement, head-to-head trials in PsA as well as skin psoriasis showed the superiority of IL-17, IL-23, and IL-12/23 inhibitors over TNF inhibitors. When treating PsA with concurrent uveitis, according to the existing data, monoclonal TNF inhibitor antibodies should be preferred. In PsA and concomitant inflammatory bowel disease, treatment decisions must include the consideration of which specific type of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis) is present, as some of the agents either lack data or are ineffective in treating these 2 conditions. In both types, IL-17 inhibitors should be avoided. When determining treatment strategy, comorbidities should be carefully assessed, and the corresponding risk profile of the respective treatment modalities should be taken into consideration.

IMPLICATIONS

There are many approved therapeutic options for treating patients with PsA, and additional emerging treatment options are in the pipeline. Individualized treatment decisions for each patient, depending on the leading disease phenotype, underlying comorbidities, and patient preferences, should be made based on shared decision-making.

Nail Psoriasis: An Updated Review of Currently Available Systemic Treatments

Background

Nail psoriasis (NP) has a prevalence that ranges from 10 to 82% among patients with psoriasis (PsO) and is one of the most common difficult to treat site of psoriasis. We performed a thorough review of the literature, exploring evidence regarding all available NP systemic treatments, describing also in detail NP dedicated clinical trials.

Methods

A literature search was conducted in PubMed and Embase prior to February 2023 using a combination of the terms "nail" AND "psoriasis" AND "systemic therapy" AND/OR "systemic treatment". A total of 47 original studies and case reports were reviewed in this article.

Results

Systemic therapies should be considered when the disorder involves more than 3 nails, has extensive skin and joint involvement, and has a significant impact on QoL, due to their best long-term efficacy. In detail, conventional and biologic systemic drugs demonstrated efficacy in recent trials, including acitretin, methotrexate, cyclosporine, apremilast, adalimumab, infliximab, etanercept, certolizumab, golimumab, ustekinumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab, brodalumab, bimekizumab, guselkumab, risankizumab and tildrakizumab.

Conclusion

Several therapies have demonstrated efficacy and safety in the treatment of NP; however, the choice of treatment depends not only on the severity of the nail involvement, but also on whether PsA is present, the patient's comorbidities other than PsA, previous treatment history, and the patient's drug preferences.

Systemic pharmacological treatments for chronic plaque psoriasis: a network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease with either skin or joints manifestations, or both, and it has a major impact on quality of life. Although there is currently no cure for psoriasis, various treatment strategies allow sustained control of disease signs and symptoms. The relative benefit of these treatments remains unclear due to the limited number of trials comparing them directly head-to-head, which is why we chose to conduct a network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the benefits and harms of non-biological systemic agents, small molecules, and biologics for people with moderate-to-severe psoriasis using a network meta-analysis, and to provide a ranking of these treatments according to their benefits and harms.

SEARCH METHODS

For this update of the living systematic review, we updated our searches of the following databases monthly to October 2022: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, and Embase.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of systemic treatments in adults over 18 years with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, at any stage of treatment, compared to placebo or another active agent. The primary outcomes were: proportion of participants who achieved clear or almost clear skin, that is, at least Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90; proportion of participants with serious adverse events (SAEs) at induction phase (8 to 24 weeks after randomisation).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We conducted duplicate study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and analyses. We synthesised data using pairwise and network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare treatments and rank them according to effectiveness (PASI 90 score) and acceptability (inverse of SAEs). We assessed the certainty of NMA evidence for the two primary outcomes and all comparisons using CINeMA, as very low, low, moderate, or high. We contacted study authors when data were unclear or missing. We used the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) to infer treatment hierarchy, from 0% (worst for effectiveness or safety) to 100% (best for effectiveness or safety).

MAIN RESULTS

This update includes an additional 12 studies, taking the total number of included studies to 179, and randomised participants to 62,339, 67.1% men, mainly recruited from hospitals. Average age was 44.6 years, mean PASI score at baseline was 20.4 (range: 9.5 to 39). Most studies were placebo-controlled (56%). We assessed a total of 20 treatments. Most (152) trials were multicentric (two to 231 centres). One-third of the studies (65/179) had high risk of bias, 24 unclear risk, and most (90) low risk. Most studies (138/179) declared funding by a pharmaceutical company, and 24 studies did not report a funding source. Network meta-analysis at class level showed that all interventions (non-biological systemic agents, small molecules, and biological treatments) showed a higher proportion of patients reaching PASI 90 than placebo. Anti-IL17 treatment showed a higher proportion of patients reaching PASI 90 compared to all the interventions. Biologic treatments anti-IL17, anti-IL12/23, anti-IL23, and anti-TNF alpha showed a higher proportion of patients reaching PASI 90 than the non-biological systemic agents. For reaching PASI 90, the most effective drugs when compared to placebo were (SUCRA rank order, all high-certainty evidence): infliximab (risk ratio (RR) 49.16, 95% CI 20.49 to 117.95), bimekizumab (RR 27.86, 95% CI 23.56 to 32.94), ixekizumab (RR 27.35, 95% CI 23.15 to 32.29), risankizumab (RR 26.16, 95% CI 22.03 to 31.07). Clinical effectiveness of these drugs was similar when compared against each other. Bimekizumab and ixekizumab were significantly more likely to reach PASI 90 than secukinumab. Bimekizumab, ixekizumab, and risankizumab were significantly more likely to reach PASI 90 than brodalumab and guselkumab. Infliximab, anti-IL17 drugs (bimekizumab, ixekizumab, secukinumab, and brodalumab), and anti-IL23 drugs except tildrakizumab were significantly more likely to reach PASI 90 than ustekinumab, three anti-TNF alpha agents, and deucravacitinib. Ustekinumab was superior to certolizumab. Adalimumab, tildrakizumab, and ustekinumab were superior to etanercept. No significant difference was shown between apremilast and two non-biological drugs: ciclosporin and methotrexate. We found no significant difference between any of the interventions and the placebo for the risk of SAEs. The risk of SAEs was significantly lower for participants on methotrexate compared with most of the interventions. Nevertheless, the SAE analyses were based on a very low number of events with very low- to moderate-certainty evidence for all the comparisons. The findings therefore have to be viewed with caution. For other efficacy outcomes (PASI 75 and Physician Global Assessment (PGA) 0/1), the results were similar to the results for PASI 90. Information on quality of life was often poorly reported and was absent for several of the interventions.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Our review shows that, compared to placebo, the biologics infliximab, bimekizumab, ixekizumab, and risankizumab were the most effective treatments for achieving PASI 90 in people with moderate-to-severe psoriasis on the basis of high-certainty evidence. This NMA evidence is limited to induction therapy (outcomes measured from 8 to 24 weeks after randomisation), and is not sufficient for evaluating longer-term outcomes in this chronic disease. Moreover, we found low numbers of studies for some of the interventions, and the young age (mean 44.6 years) and high level of disease severity (PASI 20.4 at baseline) may not be typical of patients seen in daily clinical practice. We found no significant difference in the assessed interventions and placebo in terms of SAEs, and the safety evidence for most interventions was very low to moderate quality. More randomised trials directly comparing active agents are needed, and these should include systematic subgroup analyses (sex, age, ethnicity, comorbidities, psoriatic arthritis). To provide long-term information on the safety of treatments included in this review, an evaluation of non-randomised studies is needed. Editorial note: This is a living systematic review. Living systematic reviews offer a new approach to review updating, in which the review is continually updated, incorporating relevant new evidence as it becomes available. Please refer to the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for the current status of this review.

Revisiting the interleukin 17 family of cytokines in psoriasis: pathogenesis and potential targets for innovative therapies

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease, associated with substantial comorbidity. TH17 lymphocytes, differentiating under the influence of dendritic cell-derived IL-23, and mediating their effects via IL-17A, are believed to be central effector cells in psoriasis. This concept is underlined by the unprecedented efficacy of therapeutics targeting this pathogenetic axis. In recent years, numerous observations made it necessary to revisit and refine this simple "linear" pathogenetic model. It became evident that IL-23 independent cells exist that produce IL-17A, that IL-17 homologues may exhibit synergistic biological effects, and that the blockade of IL-17A alone is clinically less effective compared to the inhibition of several IL-17 homologues. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge around IL-17A and its five currently known homologues, namely IL-17B, IL-17C, IL-17D, IL-17E (also known as IL-25) and IL-17F, in relation to skin inflammation in general and psoriasis in particular. We will also re-visit the above-mentioned observations and integrate them into a more comprehensive pathogenetic model. This may help to appreciate current as well as developing anti-psoriatic therapies and to prioritize the selection of future drugs' mode(s) of action.

IL-17 cytokines preferentially act on naïve CD4+ T cells with the IL-17AF heterodimer inducing the greatest functional changes

CD4+ T-helper 17 (Th17) T cells are a key population in protective immunity during infection and in self-tolerance/autoimmunity. Through the secretion of IL-17, Th17 cells act in promotion of inflammation and are thus a major potential therapeutic target in autoimmune disorders. Recent reports have brought to light that the IL-17 family cytokines, IL-17A, IL-17F and IL-17AF, can directly act on CD4+ T-cells, both in murine and human systems, inducing functional changes in these cells. Here we show that this action is preferentially targeted toward naïve, but not memory, CD4+ T-cells. Naïve cells showed transcriptome changes as early as 48 hours post-IL-17 exposure, whereas memory cells remained unaffected as late as 7 days. These functional differences occurred despite similar IL-17 receptor expression on these subsets and were maintained in co-culture/transwell systems, with each subset maintaining its functional response to IL-17. Importantly, there were differences in downstream transcriptional signaling by the three IL-17 cytokines, with the IL-17AF heterodimer conferring both the greatest transcriptional change and most altered functional consequences. Detailed transcriptome analysis provides important insights into the genes and pathways that are modulated as a result of IL-17-mediated signaling and may serve as targets of future therapies.

Identification immune response genes in psoriasis after treatment with secukinumab

BACKGROUND

Secukinumab is a fully human IgG1κ MoAb that selectively binds to IL-17A with high affinity, and it has been proven effective for the treatment of psoriasis. However, the immune response pathways and mechanisms during the treatment are still masked. Therefore, the current study was designed to investigate the potential immune response genes via bioinformatics approaches.

METHODS

Gene expression data of severe plaque-type psoriasis was retrieved from the GEO database. Quantification of immune infiltration by ssGSEA and identification of differentially infiltrated immune cells were conducted to validate the treatment effect of secukinumab. After data processing, differentially expressed genes were identified between the treatment and untreated group. TC-seq was employed to analyze the trend of gene expression and clustering analysis. IL-17 therapeutic immune response genes were selected by taking the intersection of the genes inside the key cluster set and the MAD3-PSO geneset. Based on these therapeutic response genes, protein-protein interaction networks were built for key hub gene selection. These hub genes would work as potential immune response genes, and be validated via an external dataset.

RESULTS

Enrichment scores calculated by ssGSEA illustrated that the immune infiltration level of T cells had a strong difference before and after medication, which validated the treatment effect of Secukinumab. 1525 genes that have significantly different expression patterns before and after treatment were extracted for further analysis, and the enrichment result shows that these genes have the function related to epidermal development, differentiation, and keratinocytes differentiation. After overlapping candidate genes with MAD3-PSO gene set, 695 genes were defined as anti-IL7A treatment immune response genes, which were mainly enriched in receptor signaling and IL-17 signaling pathways. Hub gene were pinpointed from the PPI network constructed by anti-IL7A treatment immune response genes, their expression pattern fits TC-seq gene expression pattern.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed the potential anti-IL7A treatment immune response genes, and the central hub genes, which may act critical roles in Secukinumab, induced immune response. This would open up a novel and effective avenue for the treatment of psoriasis.

Psoriatic disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease shared pathogenesis review

Psoriatic disease (PD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) potentially share disease pathways given the numerous inflammatory pathways involved in both diseases and a higher prevalence of NAFLD in PD patients.  Metabolic syndrome and obesity are a key link between the two diseases, but even when controlling for this, associations between both diseases are still seen. Therapeutics that impact metabolic or inflammatory pathways may be impactful in both PD and NAFLD. In this review, we describe common inflammatory pathways contributing to both PD and NAFLD and critically review the potential impact of treatments for and on both diseases.

Association between biological immunotherapy for psoriasis and time to incident inflammatory arthritis: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Targeted biological immunotherapies have been highly effective in controlling skin disease in patients with psoriasis, but whether therapy delays progression to inflammatory arthritis is unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the time to incident inflammatory arthritis among patients newly receiving biological therapies for psoriasis.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, we obtained data on a national sample of patients in the USA from the electronic health records database of the US-based TriNetX network. We included adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with two diagnostic codes for psoriasis (>30 days apart; International Classification of Diseases [ICD] codes) who had been newly prescribed a biologic (inhibitors of tumour necrosis factor [TNF], interleukin [IL]-17, IL-23, or IL-12/23, first prescribed on or after the date of receiving a first psoriasis diagnosis code). The time to incident inflammatory arthritis, defined by first occurrence of a diagnostic code for psoriatic arthritis or other inflammatory arthritis after initiation of biological therapy, was graphed with use of the Kaplan-Meier estimate. Time-dependent risk for inflammatory arthritis was calculated with weighted Cox proportional hazards regression with anti-TNF exposure as the reference, adjusted for demographic and clinical covariables. Sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate incident cases of psoriasis, increased exclusion periods for prevalent cases of inflammatory arthritis, drug switching, and more stringent disease and outcome definitions.

FINDINGS

Between Jan 1, 2014, and June 1, 2022, we identified 15 501 patients with psoriasis (mean age 50·2 years [SD 15·0]; 8399 [54·2%] women and 7102 [45·8%] men; 11 175 [72·1%] White). 976 (6·3%) of the 15 501 patients developed inflammatory arthritis, with a cumulative incidence of 2·6 cases per 100 person-years. In multivariable regression analyses, the risk of developing inflammatory arthritis was significantly lower in patients prescribed IL-12/23 inhibitors (adjusted HR 0·58, 95% CI 0·43-0·76) or IL-23 inhibitors (0·41, 0·17-0·95) than in patients prescribed TNF inhibitors. We found no significant difference for IL-17 inhibitors (0·86, 0·54-1·38) compared with TNF inhibitors. For IL-12/23 inhibitors, the results persisted in all sensitivity analyses. For IL-23 inhibitors, the results persisted in three of six sensitivity analyses, when a higher diagnostic threshold for incident arthritis was used and when excluding patients who developed arthritis within 3 or 6 months after first biologic prescription.

INTERPRETATION

In this large cohort study of patients with psoriasis, treatment with IL-12/23 inhibitors or IL-23 inhibitors was associated with reduced risk of progression to inflammatory arthritis compared with TNF inhibitors. Prospective observational cohorts with disease activity measures and pooled analyses of previous randomised trials are required to confirm these findings.

FUNDING

None.

Generation and characterization of QLS22001, a humanized monoclonal antibody that neutralizes IL-17A and IL-17F with an extended half-life

Therapeutic intervention to block IL-17A signaling has proven to be an effective treatment for numerous autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and axial spondylarthritis. Among the IL-17 family members, IL-17F, which shares 55% sequence homology with IL-17A, has been reported to functionally overlap with IL-17A in many inflammatory diseases. In this study, we describe the generation and characterization of QLS22001, a humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody with an extended half-life and high affinity for both IL-17A and IL-17F. QLS22001 effectively blocks IL-17A and IL-17F mediated signaling pathways both in vitro and in vivo. Briefly, the YTE (M225Y/S254T/T256E) modification was introduced into the Fc fragment of QLS22001 WT Fc to prolong its half-life, and the resulting construct was named QLS22001. Functionally, it significantly inhibits IL-17A- and IL-17F-stimulated signaling in cell-based IL-6 release and reporter assays. The dual neutralization of the endogenous IL-17A and IL-17F produced by Th17 cells, as opposed to the selective blockade of IL-17A alone, results in a greater suppression of inflammatory cytokine secretion, according to in vitro blockade assays. Furthermore, in an in vivo mouse pharmacodynamic study, QLS22001 blocked human IL-17A-induced mouse keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC) release. In cynomolgus monkey pharmacokinetics evaluation, QLS22001 showed linear pharmacokinetic characteristics with a mean half-life of 31.2 days, while its parent antibody, QLS22001 WT Fc, had a mean half-life of 17.2 days. In addition, QLS22001 does not induce cytokine release in a human whole-blood assay. Collectively, these data provide a comprehensive preclinical characterization of QLS22001 and support its clinical development.

Targeted Therapies in Psoriatic Arthritis-An Update

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a systemic inflammatory condition characterised by multiple clinical manifestations. Over the last decade, significant progress has been made in understanding the pathobiology of the disease. An expanded set of targeted therapies have emerged and have shown efficacy in PsA. Nevertheless, there is still a substantial subset of patients who experience no response or only a partial response to currently licensed therapies. The heterogeneous nature of the disease, together with a varying level of severity at presentation and disease activity during follow-up, brings tremendous challenges to devising management strategies. While there are certain pathophysiological similarities between PsA and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it has become clear that there are discriminating features between these two conditions at the clinical, cellular, and molecular levels. However, there is a degree of overlap in the clinical approach when treating both PsA and RA, given that many biological and targeted therapies have proven efficacy for both pathologies. With an increasing understanding of the relevance of the IL-23/IL-17 axis in PsA, pharmacological agents blocking this pathway have provided promising possibilities for patients with PsA.

Secukinumab responses vary across the spectrum of congenital ichthyosis in adults

IMPORTANCE

Treatment of congenital ichthyoses primarily focuses on reversing skin scaling and is not pathogenesis based. Recent studies showed Th17 immune skewing, as in psoriasis, across the spectrum of ichthyosis, suggesting that targeting this pathway might broadly reduce disease severity.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether secukinumab, an IL-17A inhibitor, can improve ichthyosis across several congenital ichthyosis subtypes.

DESIGN

Exploratory 16-week double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial comparing secukinumab 300 mg every 4wks to placebo (1:1 randomization) in adults with the four major congenital ichthyosis subtypes (NCT03041038), followed by a 16-week open-label phase to evaluate response of the placebo-first group and a 20-week extension for safety. Significant differences in secukinumab- vs. placebo-treated subjects at Wk16 in the Ichthyosis Area Severity Index (IASI) score and lack of increased mucocutaneous bacterial and/or fungal infections were the co-primary efficacy and safety endpoints, respectively.

SETTING

Two tertiary referral centers: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, and Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine, New York.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty subjects ≥ 18 yo with genotype-confirmed epidermolytic ichthyosis, Netherton syndrome, lamellar ichthyosis, or congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma with at least moderate erythroderma.

RESULTS

IL-17A inhibition did not significantly reduce severity or increase mucocutaneous infections among the 18 who completed the 16-week double-blind phase. Five patients with 29-50% clinical improvement at Wk32 requested drug continuation. Th17-related biomarkers were not significantly reduced vs. baseline or placebo-treated levels.

LIMITATIONS

Small sample size; heterogeneous ichthyosis subsets.

CONCLUSION

IL-17 inhibition with secukinumab is safe, but not efficacious across the spectrum of adult ichthyoses.

CLINICALTRIALS

GOV REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03041038; first posted on 02/02/2017.

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.

English version of Japanese guidance for use of biologics for psoriasis (the 2022 version)

This is the English version of Japanese guidance for use of biologics for psoriasis (the 2022 version). As the first biologics for psoriasis in Japan, infliximab and adalimumab, anti-tumor necrosis factor-α antibodies, became available in the field of dermatology in 2010, followed by ustekinumab, an anti-interleukin (IL)-12/IL-23p40 antibody, which was launched in Japan in 2011. Moreover, after 2015, three IL-17 inhibitors, the IL-17A antibody preparations secukinumab and ixekizumab, and an anti-IL-17 receptor antibody preparation brodalumab were marketed. Furthermore, after 2018, the anti-IL23p19 antibody preparations guselkumab and risankizumab, the TNF inhibitor certolizumab pegol, the IL-23 inhibitor tildrakizumab, and the anti-IL-17A/F antibody bimekizumab were marketed. It is important for physicians to select appropriate biologic therapy for each psoriatic patient after due consideration of disease factors, treatment factors, and patient background factors, sharing such information with patients. The followings can be listed as points to be considered for the selection of biologics: drug effects (e.g., strength of effectiveness, time to onset of effectiveness, effectiveness against arthritis, primary failure, secondary failure), safety (e.g., infections, administration-related reactions, and relationships with other comorbidities), convenience for patients (e.g., hospital visit intervals, self-injection, maintenance therapy at clinics, feasibility of drug discontinuation/re-administration), and payment (medical costs) borne by patients. This guidance has been prepared with the aim of allowing dermatologists experienced in the treatment of psoriasis to use biologics appropriately according to the circumstances of individual patients after consideration of the above-mentioned factors.

Adverse events associated with anti-IL-17 agents for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: a systematic scoping review

Background

Anti-interleukin (IL)-17 biological agents (BAs) have significant efficacy in the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis; however, adverse events (AEs) are common, and their safety has not been systematically evaluated.

Objectives

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the number and corresponding rates of AEs caused by anti-IL-17 BAs in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis to improve clinical decision-making regarding their use.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were independently searched by three authors for articles on the treatment of psoriasis with anti-IL-17 BAs that were published before March 1, 2022, and included at least one AE. Dichotomous variables and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were analyzed using R software (version 4.1.3) and the Meta and Metafor software packages. Funnel plots and meta-regression were used to test for the risk of bias, I2 was used to assess the magnitude of heterogeneity, and subgroup analysis was used to reduce heterogeneity.

Results

A total of 57 studies involving 28,424 patients with psoriasis treated with anti-IL-17 BAs were included in the meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis showed that anti-IL-17A (73.48%) and anti-IL-17A/F (73.12%) BAs were more likely to cause AEs than anti-IL-17R BAs (65.66%). The incidence of AEs was as high as 72.70% with treatment durations longer than one year, and long-term use of medication had the potential to lead to mental disorders. Infection (33.16%), nasopharyngitis (13.74%), and injection site reactions (8.28%) were the most common AEs. Anti-IL-17 BAs were most likely to cause type α (33.52%) AEs. Type δ AEs (1.01%) were rarely observed.

Conclusions

Anti-IL-17 BAs used for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis caused a series of AEs, but the symptoms were generally mild.

Bimekizumab Efficacy and Safety in Japanese Patients with Plaque Psoriasis in BE VIVID: A Phase 3, Ustekinumab and Placebo-Controlled Study

INTRODUCTION

Bimekizumab treatment resulted in improved clinical outcomes in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in BE VIVID, a 52-week, phase 3, randomized, ustekinumab and placebo-controlled study. We present data from the BE VIVID Japan patient subpopulation.

METHODS

Globally, patients were randomized to receive bimekizumab 320 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W), ustekinumab (45/90 mg weight-based at baseline and week 4, then every 12 weeks), or placebo (Q4W through week 16, then bimekizumab 320 mg Q4W). Efficacy endpoints included week 16 Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90 and Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) 0/1, and other outcomes [PASI 100, PASI 75, IGA 0, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) 0/1, absolute PASI, scalp IGA, Psoriasis Symptoms and Impacts Measure (P-SIM) responses]. Safety analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

There were 108 Japanese randomized patients (bimekizumab: 62; ustekinumab: 29; placebo: 17). At week 16, bimekizumab-treated patients had a higher clinical response versus ustekinumab and placebo (PASI 90: 85.5% versus 51.7% and 5.9%; IGA 0/1: 82.3% versus 48.3% and 0.0%). Over 52 weeks, improved clinical response was maintained with bimekizumab, including patients switching from placebo at week 16. Overall, the safety profile in Japanese patients was consistent with that observed in the global population.

CONCLUSION

Bimekizumab resulted in improved clinical response versus ustekinumab and placebo, and was well-tolerated in Japanese patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT03370133.

Psoriasis improvements and inflammatory biomarker normalization with secukinumab: the randomized ObePso-S study

BACKGROUND

The IL-17A inhibitor secukinumab has demonstrated consistent efficacy and safety in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, with normalization of molecular and histopathologic psoriasis markers.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate treatment effects of secukinumab on clinical signs and psoriatic inflammation markers over 52 weeks in patients with psoriasis.

METHODS

In the ObePso-S study (NCT03055494), patients with psoriasis were randomized 2:1 to receive secukinumab 300 mg (n = 54) or placebo (n = 28), stratified by body weight (<90 or ≥90 kg), for 52 weeks. At Week 12, patients receiving placebo were switched to secukinumab. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index improvement of 90% (PASI90) and Investigator's Global Assessment modified 2011 0/1 responses were assessed at Weeks 12 and 52. Immunohistochemistry for keratin 16 (K16) and gene expression profiles were evaluated in lesional and non-lesional skin biopsies collected at baseline, Week 12, and Week 52.

RESULTS

Of patients receiving secukinumab, 55.8% and 59.6% achieved PASI90 at Weeks 12 and 52, respectively. K16 was absent in 93.1% of Week 12 PASI90 responders and 93.6% of Week 52 PASI90 responders, which mirrored the down-regulated expression of psoriatic inflammation. Week 52 PASI90 non-responders experienced regression of clinical and inflammatory marker responses toward baseline levels. Lower control of inflammatory gene expression at Week 12 was associated with suboptimal clinical responses at Week 52.

CONCLUSION

Sustained clinical responses with secukinumab were associated with rapid and sustained normalization of K16 and inflammatory gene expression in most patients. Molecular anti-inflammatory effects of secukinumab at Week 12 were associated with clinical responses at Week 52.

Secukinumab demonstrates superiority over narrow-band ultraviolet B phototherapy in new-onset moderate to severe plaque psoriasis patients: Week 52 results from the STEPIn study

BACKGROUND

Biologic treatments have been studied mainly in patients with a long-term history of psoriasis and previous treatment failures.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this primary analysis of the STEPIn study is to determine whether early intervention with secukinumab in patients with new-onset moderate to severe plaque psoriasis is superior to standard of care treatment with narrow band ultraviolet B (nb-UVB) phototherapy.

METHODS

The STEPIn study is a randomized, open-label, multicentre study to investigate early intervention with 52 weeks of secukinumab 300 mg administered subcutaneously versus standard treatment with nb-UVB phototherapy in patients with new-onset (≤12 months) moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (NCT03020199). The primary and additional secondary endpoints were ≥90% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 90) at Week 52 and Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA mod 2011) 0/1 response at Week 52, respectively.

RESULTS

In the secukinumab and nb-UVB study arms, 77/80 and 76/80 randomized patients received at least one dose of study treatment, respectively. The primary endpoint was achieved: 91.1% (70/77) of patients achieved a PASI 90 response at Week 52 in the secukinumab arm versus 42.3% (32/76) in the nb-UVB arm (p < 0.0001, odds ratio [OR] estimate [95% confidence intervals, CI] = 16.3 [5.6, 46.9]). The additional secondary endpoint was also achieved: 85.7% of patients achieved an IGA 0/1 response at Week 52 in the secukinumab arm versus 36.8% in the nb-UVB arm (p < 0.0001). The safety data were consistent with the safety profiles of secukinumab and nb-UVB with no new or unexpected safety signals.

CONCLUSIONS

Secukinumab was superior to nb-UVB in treating patients with new-onset moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The high and sustained skin clearance observed indicates that biologic treatment for psoriasis may be more effective if used early in the disease course.

Efficacy of Secukinumab in Psoriasis: Post Hoc Gender-Wise Analysis of the SUPREME Study

Purpose

Psoriasis, a common systemic inflammatory disorder, presents with gender-related differences in the quality of life (QoL) and treatment outcomes. This post hoc analysis from the Phase 3b SUPREME study explored gender-related differences in patient characteristics and efficacy of secukinumab 300 mg on Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 75/90/100 and impact on QoL using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis through week 24.

Patients and Methods

The proportion of patients achieving PASI 75/90/100 was computed using a nonresponder imputation approach. Differences between cohorts were analyzed using a logistic regression model. The mean change from baseline in DLQI was computed using the Wilcoxon test.

Results

Among the 433 patients (males: 71.6%), females had a higher DLQI than males at baseline (13.1 vs 9.5; P<0.0001). Males had a slightly higher response for PASI 90 than females at week 16 (80.7% vs 78.1%; P=0.0779) and 24 (83.2% vs 79.7%; P=0.0319). No differences were observed between genders in PASI 100/75 responses at week 24. Both genders showed an improvement in DLQI with secukinumab at week 24 (-10.9 vs -8.1, respectively, in females vs males; P=0.0004).

Conclusion

In summary, secukinumab was effective in the treatment of psoriasis, irrespective of gender.

Analysis of Drug Utilization in Patients with Psoriasis: A Real-World Retrospective Study Among the Italian Population

Purpose

An Italian real-world retrospective study was conducted in patients with psoriasis (PSO) to evaluate their characteristics, treatment patterns, and biological/targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (b/tsDMARD) drug utilization.

Patients and Methods

The retrospective analysis was carried out on real-world data collected from administrative databases of selected Italian health-departments; the dataset covered approximately 22% of the Italian population. PSO patients (identified by PSO hospitalization, and/or active exemption code and/or a topical anti-psoriatic medication prescription) were included. In prevalent patients identified during 2017-2018-2019-2020, baseline characteristics and treatment patterns were investigated. Moreover, b/tsDMARD drug utilization (focusing on persistence, monthly dosage, and mean duration between prescriptions) was evaluated in bionaïve patients included during 2015 and 2018.

Results

PSO was diagnosed in 241,552 (in 2017), 269,856 (in 2018), 293,905 (in 2019) and 301,639 (in 2020) patients. At the index date, almost 50% of patients had not received systemic medications, and 2% had received biological treatment. Among the b/tsDMARD-treated patients, a decrease in the use of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors (60.0-36.4%, from 2017 to 2020) and an increase in the use of interleukin (IL) inhibitors (36.3-50.6%, from 2017 to 2020) were observed. In 2018, the persistence rates of TNF inhibitors and IL inhibitors in bionaïve patients ranged from 60.8-79.7% and 83.3-87.9%, respectively.

Conclusion

This real-world study of PSO drug utilization in Italy showed that a significant number of patients were not treated with systemic medications and only 2% of patients were treated with biologics. An increase in the use of IL inhibitors and a decrease in the prescription of TNF inhibitors over years were found. Patients treated with biologics were highly persistent with treatment. These data provide insight into routine clinical practice for PSO patients in Italy, suggesting that the optimization of treatment for PSO still represents an unmet medical need.

Predictors of time to relapse following ustekinumab withdrawal in patients with psoriasis who had responded to therapy: An 8-year multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Data on predictors and time to relapse in patients with psoriasis who discontinue therapy in a real-world setting are scarce.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate predictors of relapse after withdrawal of ustekinumab in patients with psoriasis.

METHOD

This study screened 500 patients with psoriasis who received ustekinumab (669 treatment episodes) between 2011 and 2018. Overall, 202 patients (accounting for 304 treatment episodes) who had responded to therapy and were withdrawn from ustekinumab treatment were included.

RESULTS

The cumulative probabilities of being relapse-free at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months after withdrawal from ustekinumab treatment were 49.3%, 12.6%, 5.3%, 4.7%, and 1.6%, respectively. Multivariate regression analyses with a generalized estimating equation showed that after adjustments, biologic-naive status, maximum improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index during ustekinumab treatment, time to achieve a 50% improvement in baseline Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score after initiation of ustekinumab, family history of psoriasis, chronic kidney disease, and immunosuppressant use while not taking ustekinumab were significant predictors of time to relapse following discontinuation of ustekinumab.

LIMITATION

Nonrandomized allocation of duration of treatment and follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Given the high rates of relapse, withdrawal of ustekinumab from patients with well-controlled psoriasis cannot be recommended.

Effectiveness and Safety of Secukinumab in Latin American Patients with Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis: PURE Registry 12-Month Data

BACKGROUND

 The efficacy and safety of secukinumab in patients with psoriasis has been established in randomised clinical trials. However, data on effectiveness and safety of secukinumab in Latin American real-world settings are scarce.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of secukinumab in real-world settings in patients with psoriasis in Latin America.

METHODS

PURE is an ongoing multinational, prospective, observational study in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis in Canada and Latin America assessing the real-world safety and effectiveness of secukinumab and other approved therapies. The study enrolled (1:1) patients treated with secukinumab versus other approved therapies (other Tx) per local standard of care from 81 community- and hospital-based speciality sites (21 in Latin America). Here, we report effectiveness and safety outcomes with secukinumab and other Tx for plaque psoriasis for up to 12 months in a Latin American population.

RESULTS

Overall, 187 patients were included in the analysis, 89 of whom initiated secukinumab treatment and 98 of whom received other Tx. At month 12, 84.4%, 71.1% and 53.3% of patients treated with secukinumab achieved Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 75/90/100, respectively, compared with 66.7%, 47.9% and 29.2% of patients who received other Tx. Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) 0/1 responders in secukinumab versus other Tx were 78.3% versus 36.7% at month 3 and 81.8% versus 66.7% at month 12, respectively. Overall, the proportion of patients achieving Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) 0/1 improved from 6.9% at baseline to 76.5% at month 12 in patients treated with secukinumab versus 5.6% at baseline to 54.5% at month 12 in patients on other Tx. No unexpected adverse events were reported during the 12-month observation period.

CONCLUSION

Secukinumab demonstrated real-world effectiveness and improved dermatology quality-of-life in chronic plaque psoriasis patients from Latin America.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PURE: NCT02786186.

Tuscany consensus for the treatment of moderate-severe psoriasis: update and focus on practical guidelines for place in therapy of anti-IL-17 and anti-IL-23 biologics

Psoriasis is a common chronic skin disease characterized by a worldwide distribution and a natural tendency towards progression. According to the many clinical forms, the extension of the disease and the many comorbidities, almost the 20% of the patients require a systemic treatment. Biologics have greatly changed the ongoing of psoriasis and the quality of life of psoriasis patients. After the anti-TNF-alpha, which were the first biologics in use for psoriasis, the improvement in knowledge of the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the disease has led to the development of a series of more specific therapies for psoriasis. This "second generation" of biologics includes the interleukin (IL)-12/23 inhibitor ustekinumab, IL-17 inhibitors (secukinumab and ixekizumab), the IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA) antagonist brodalumab, and the IL-23 inhibitors guselkumab, risankizumab and tildrakizumab. This study represents an update of the Tuscany consensus focused on the use of new drugs, such as anti-IL-17 and anti-IL-23 in moderate-to-severe psoriasis and their correct place in therapy according to specific clinical requests and in full respect of the current financial restrictions.

Real-world experience of secukinumab in moderate to severe psoriasis patients in Thailand: Characteristics, effectiveness, and safety

Secukinumab demonstrated high efficacy and favorable safety profile in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis (PsO) in clinical trials. However, understanding of patient characteristics and clinical outcomes in real world in Thailand is still limited. To describe patient characteristics, effectiveness and safety of secukinumab in Thai PsO patients. This retrospective study analyzed data from medical records of adult PsO patients who initiated secukinumab at 7 dermatology centers from September 2017 to April 2021. Study outcomes included patient characteristics and changes in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score from baseline at weeks 4 and 16 after secukinumab initiation. Adverse events were recorded. Subgroup analyses by adherence rate and completeness of loading dose were performed. Of 163 patients, the mean (SD) age was 44.0 (14.0) years. Most patients (84.7%) were previously treated with topical therapy while 62.0% and 21.5% of patients had received systemic and biologic therapy, respectively. The mean baseline PASI score was 15.4 (9.3). Overall, the mean PASI score improved by 58.0% at week 4 and 78.4% at week 16. Statistically significant differences in PASI approvement were revealed among subgroups of patients with different loading dose and adherence rate. Adverse effects were reported in 8.0% of patients. The characteristics of patients in this study were slightly different from clinical trials in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as PsO treatment. Secukinumab was effective and safe in Thai patients with PsO, especially among those with complete loading dose and a higher adherence rate.