Biologic therapy adherence, discontinuation, switching, and restarting among patients with psoriasis in the US Medicare population

Real-world biologic treatment patterns and healthcare resource utilization in psoriasis patients using an insurance claims database in Japan

BACKGROUND

With advent of newer treatments for psoriasis, real-world use of biologics in Japan is evolving.

METHODS

This retrospective study utilized data from patients with ≥1 psoriasis-related biologic claims record between January 2016 and December 2020 in Japan to evaluate treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and associated costs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Of 1,614 eligible patients, 72.5% were male, 29.2% had comorbid hypertension and 26.6% had comorbid cardiovascular disease. Interleukin (IL)-17 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) inhibitors were commonly prescribed across lines of treatment, while IL-23 inhibitors were most considered for switches (92% of switches were from IL-12/23/IL-17/TNFα inhibitors). The overall mean adherence rate for all classes was 80.1%, but adherence varied across biologics. Infliximab and IL-23 inhibitor users exhibited optimal medical possession ratios, reflecting the best adherence rates. Overall HCRU (visits/patient-year) was 9.05 for outpatient visits, 0.09 for inpatient hospitalization, and 0.5 for psoriasis-related phototherapy. HCRU associated with hospitalization was slightly higher for bio-experienced patients and so was the overall costs per patient-year relative to bio-naïve patients.

CONCLUSION

Variable adherence rates observed suggest the need for improvement in treatment management with different biologics. Bio-experienced patients burdened by disease progression and treatment switches may result in increased HCRU.

Age affects drug survival rates of interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23 inhibitors in patients with plaque psoriasis: Results from a retrospective, multicentric, multi-country, cohort study

BACKGROUND

Scarce data related to the drug survival of biologic agents in psoriasis patients aged ≥65 years is available.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the drug survival of interleukin (IL)-23 or the IL-17 inhibitors approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis in elderly patients (aged ≥65 years), compared with younger adult patients (aged <65 years), and to identify clinical predictors that can influence the drug survival.

METHODS

This retrospective multicentric cohort study included adult patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, dissecting two-patient subcohorts based on age: elderly versus younger adults. Kaplan-Meier estimator and proportional hazard Cox regression models were used for drug survival analysis.

RESULTS

We included 4178 patients and 4866 treatment courses; 934 were elderly (1072 treatment courses), and 3244 were younger patients (3794 treatment courses). Drug survival, considering all causes of interruption, was higher in patients aged <65 years than in elderly patients overall (log-rank p < 0.006). This difference was significant for treatment courses involving IL-23 inhibitors (p < 0.001) but not for those with IL-17 inhibitors (p = 0.2). According to both uni- and multi-variable models, elder age was associated with an increased risk of treatment discontinuation (univariable analysis: HR: 1.229, 95% CI 1.062-1.422; p < 0.006; multivariable analysis: HR: 1.199, 95% CI 1.010-1.422; p = 0.0377). Anti-IL-23 agents were associated with a reduced likelihood of treatment discontinuation after adjusting for other variables (HR: 0.520, 95% CI 0.368-0.735; p < 0.001). Being previously treated with IL-17 inhibitors increased the probability of discontinuation.

CONCLUSION

Elderly patients with psoriasis have an increased risk of biologic treatment discontinuation compared with younger adult patients, particularly, if being treated with IL-23 inhibitors. However, in stratified analyses conducted in elderly patients, IL-23 inhibitors showed higher drug survival rates than IL-17 inhibitors.

Healthcare resource utilization patterns in psoriasis patients using biologic and conventional treatments in Finland

Introduction and aim

Psoriasis vulgaris is associated with a significant healthcare burden, which increases over time as the disease progresses. The aim of this retrospective, population-based registry study was to characterize healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) in patients with psoriasis using biologics and oral immunosuppressants (conventionals) in Finland.

Materials and methods

The study cohort included all patients with a diagnosis of psoriasis vulgaris in the secondary healthcare setting between 2012-2018, who initiated a biologic (n=1,297) or conventional (n=4,753) treatment between 2013-2017. Data on primary and secondary HCRU were collected from nationwide healthcare registries.

Results

The results indicated a remarkable decrease in contacts with a dermatologist after the treatment initiation among patients starting biologic (mean annual number of contacts 5.4 per person before and 2.3 after the initiation), but not conventional (3.3 and 3.2) treatment. For conventional starters there was a high level of contacts with a dermatologist surrounding times of treatment switching, which was not observed for biologic starters.

Conclusion

Overall, primary and other secondary care contacts did not decrease after the initiation or switch of treatment. The results highlight the importance of thorough consideration of the most optimal treatment alternatives, considering the overall disease burden to patients and healthcare systems.

Poor adherence to and persistence with biologics in generalized pustular psoriasis: A claim-based study using real-world data from two large US databases

Background

Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare skin disease characterized by episodes of widespread sterile pustules.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study using data from the US IBM MarketScan Commercial and Optum Clinformatics Data Mart databases between October 1, 2015 and March 31, 2020 was performed to describe adherence and persistence to biologics in patients with GPP. Patients were aged ≥18 years with newly diagnosed GPP (International Classification of Diseases code L40.1) and had ≥1 inpatient or ≥2 outpatient claims.

Results

Biologics were dispensed to 110 of 502 (22%) and 73 of 528 (14%) patients from MarketScan and Optum databases, respectively. The mean proportion of days covered (PDC) (range) was similar in both databases (MarketScan, 65% [8%-100%]; Optum, 59% [8%-99%]), and good adherence (≥80% PDC) was uncommon (MarketScan, 36%; Optum, 24%). Mean (standard deviation) persistence was similar in both databases (MarketScan, 287 [122] days; Optum, 261 [134] days). In Optum, the mean PDC was similar between age categories; good adherence was more common in patients aged 18 to 64 years (28%) versus ≥65 years (13%). Mean persistence was longer in patients aged 18 to 64 years (267 days) versus ≥65 years (242 days).

Conclusions

Overall, adherence and persistence were generally poor and varied according to the biologic class, database, and age. Improving adherence may help improve GPP treatment outcomes.

Pharmacoequity and Biologics in the Allergy Clinic: Providing the Right Care, at the Right Time, Every Time, to Everyone

Pharmacoequity refers to equity in access to pharmacotherapy for all patients and is an especially large barrier to biologic agents in patients with allergic diseases. Value-based care models can prompt clinicians to address social determinants of health, promoting pharmacoequity. Pharmacoequity is influenced by numerous factors including socioeconomic status, which may be mediated through insurance status, educational attainment, and access to specialist care. In addition to lower socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, age, locations isolated from care systems, and off-label indications for biologic agents all constitute barriers to pharmacoequity. Whereas pharmaco-inequity is more apparent for expensive biologics, it also affects many other allergy treatments including epinephrine autoinjectors and SMART for asthma. Current programs aimed at alleviating cost barriers are imperfect. Patient assistance programs, manufacturer-sponsored free drug programs, and rebates often increase the complexity of care, with resultant inequity, particularly for patients with lower health literacy. Ultimately, single silver-bullet solutions are elusive. Long-term improvement instead requires a combination of research, advocacy, and creative problem-solving to design more intelligent and efficient systems that provide timely access to necessary care for every patient, every time.

Switching patterns of biological drugs in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: insight from the VALORE database network

BACKGROUND

Switch patterns among different biologics and from originators to biosimilars (and vice versa) can be complex in patients with psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to describe switching patterns of biological drugs in PsO/PsA patients and to explore predictors of multiple switches and switch-back.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A large-scale retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Italian VALORE database. Bio-naïve users treated for PsO/PsA during 2010-2022 were included. Time to switch/swap and predictors of multiple switches and switch-back were analyzed.

RESULTS

Thirty-thousand seven hundred bio-naïve users were included. At 3 and 5 years of follow-up, patients with at least one switch/swap were 37.1% and 47.8%, respectively. The median time to first switch/swap was significantly shorter (p< 0.001) for TNF-α inhibitors (2,068 days) than anti-IL (2,780 days). At 1 year of follow-up patients starting with IL-23 switched/swapped biological therapy less frequently than those with anti-IL-12/23 and anti-IL-17 (4.9% vs. 8.7% and 9.4%, respectively). Patients starting with anti-IL-12/23 reported a significantly lower risk of multiple switches and switch-back (0.74, 95% CI, 0.67-0.83; 0.58, 95% CI, 0.44-0.77, respectively) than those with TNF-α inhibitors.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with PsO/PsA starting with TNF-α inhibitors switch/swap more rapidly and frequently than those with anti-IL, which are also associated with a reduced risk of multiple switches during follow-up.

Adherence, persistence and treatment switching in psoriasis

Aim: This study aims to investigate drug utilization patterns in the treatment of psoriasis (PsO) from 1 to 5 years in a real-life setting with Adalimumab (Ada), Etanercept (Eta), Ustekinumab (Ust), Golimumab (Gol), Ixekizumab (Ixe), Secukinumab (Sec) and Apremilast (Apr). Materials & methods: Data from an observational study were used to calculate adherence using the Proportion of Days Covered (PDC) method and persistence. Results & conclusion: Treatment adherence was found to be good for all the drugs studied across all years of analysis, while persistence was suboptimal, showing a marked decrease from the third year of study onward. In the treatment of PsO, greater attention needs to be paid to treatment persistence.

Rapid and sustained resolution in generalized pustular psoriasis with IL-17A inhibitors required high adherence: a 96-week analysis in a real-life setting

BACKGROUND

Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare, potentially life-threatening skin disease often requiring long-term therapy. We aimed to evaluate the use of Interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitors (secukinumab and ixekizumab) in GPP patients over 96 weeks.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed a case series of 18 patients with GPP who received secukinumab (n = 13) and ixekizumab (n = 5) therapy with a 96-week follow-up period. The primary effectiveness analysis included determining the percentage of patients who achieved ≥90% or 100% improvement in the Generalized Pustular Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (GPPASI) score. Adherence was captured using the medication possession ratio (MPR).

RESULTS

Using the as-observed (AO) method, 87% and 67% of patients treated with secukinumab or ixekizumab achieved GPPASI 90 and 100 responses, respectively. At Week 96, the mean GPPASI improvements from baseline GPPASI were 96.3% (95% CI: 0.91-1.01) using the AO method. After Week 48, 14 patients tapered (n = 8) or terminated (n = 6) the treatment. High-adherence therapy (MPR ≥ 80%) was significantly superior to the low-adherence group in the rate of patients achieving a GPPASI 100 response (AO, 100% vs. 38%, P < 0.05). By Week 96, 5 (27.8%) patients had new GPP flares, and 4 (80%) were in the low-adherence group. No new safety signals occurred.

CONCLUSION

IL-17A inhibitors led to effective and sustained improvement in GPP patients, and high-adherence therapy had long-term positive effects on skin clearance. Given its relapsing nature, improving compliance is beneficial for long-term clinical management.

Comorbidity Burden and Treatment Patterns of Psoriasis in Vietnam: Real-World Data from the EXPAND Study

INTRODUCTION

Psoriasis is a multi-faceted, immune-mediated inflammatory disease associated with a wide range of comorbidities. Real-world data on treatment patterns, comorbidities, and economic burden in patients with psoriasis are needed for comprehensive patient care in Vietnam.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review study was conducted using secondary data extracted from patients' medical records of two hospitals in Vietnam, with the aim of identifying adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of psoriasis. The index date was defined as the date of first diagnosis between 1 January 2020 and 31 October 2021. Sociodemographic factors, disease characteristics, comorbidities, medication usage, drug survival, and medication costs were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 661 patients were identified (mean ± standard deviation [SD] age 43.5 ± 14.8 years). The most prevalent comorbidity was dyslipidemia (49.6% of patients), followed by hypertension (23.4%), and psoriatic arthritis (10.4%). In total, 44% of patients received biologic therapies. Overall, 66.7% and 54.3% of patients receiving biologic and non-biologic therapies, respectively, had ≥ 1 comorbidity. Only 23.2% of patients with psoriasis-related comorbidities stopped therapy with biologics. Biologics had a longer retention time (17.0 months) than non-biologics (6.0 months) in patients with comorbidities. Patients with comorbidities had significantly higher total annual healthcare costs than those without comorbidities (in US dollars: USD901 vs. USD304; p < 0.001), mainly due to the relatively higher costs associated with the use of biologics.

CONCLUSION

Patients with psoriasis in Vietnam experience a high disease and economic burden due to comorbidities. Evidence from this real-world study supports the need for routine monitoring of and an appropriate treatment course for psoriasis-related comorbidities.

Healthcare Provider Administration of Biologics for Patients with Plaque Psoriasis: Literature Review and Clinical Considerations

Objective

Plaque psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory, immune-mediated skin disease. Biologic therapies markedly improve skin disease severity and health-related quality of life for patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. All but two of the biologics approved in the United States for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis may be self-administered by adult patients via subcutaneous injection. This review discusses rationales for choosing healthcare provider (HCP) administration over self-administration of biologics for patients with plaque psoriasis, including treatment adherence, patient preference, and practical considerations.

Methods

PubMed was searched for "psoriasisAND biologic AND administration AND (office OR provider OR profession)." The most relevant results and additional papers identified from the references were included in the review.

Results

Although many patients prefer self-administration, others may benefit from HCP administration. Key considerations in the choice between HCP vs. self-administration of biologics for plaque psoriasis treatment include adherence, patient preferences, and practical concerns. Patient characteristics that may make HCP administration of biologic therapies for treatment of plaque psoriasis preferable to at-home self-administration are discussed.

Limitations

There are few published studies specific to HCP administration of biologics for treatment of psoriasis.

Conclusion

Administration of biologics by an HCP may improve treatment adherence and clinical outcomes compared to self-administration in selected patients with plaque psoriasis.

Real-world treatment patterns and healthcare costs in patients with psoriasis taking systemic oral or biologic therapies

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated, systemic inflammatory disorder associated with high costs. This study evaluated real-world treatment patterns and associated costs in patients in the United States with psoriasis initiating systemic oral or biologic treatments.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study used IBM^® (now Merative™) MarketScan^® Commercial and Medicare claims (1 January 2006-31 December 2019) to evaluate patterns of switching, discontinuation, and nonswitching in two cohorts of patients initiating oral or biologic systemic therapy. Total pre-switch and post-switch costs were reported per-patient per-month (PPPM).

RESULTS

Each cohort was analyzed (oral, n = 11,993; biologic; n = 9753). Among the oral and biologic cohorts, 32% and 15% discontinued index and any systemic treatment within 1 year of initiation; 40% and 62% remained on index therapy; and 28% and 23% switched treatment, respectively. In the oral and biologic cohorts, total PPPM costs within 1 year of initiation for nonswitchers, patients who discontinued, and patients who switched were $2594, $1402, and $3956, respectively, and $5035, $3112, and $5833, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study identified lower persistence in the oral treatment cohort, higher costs associated with switching, and a need for safe and effective oral treatment options for patients with psoriasis to delay the switch to biologic therapy.

Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with multiple biologic failure in psoriasis: A 2015-2022 prospective cohort analysis of the CorEvitas psoriasis registry

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis patients with poor therapeutic response to multiple biologic agents are not well-characterized.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the characteristics associated with development of multiple biologic failure (MBF) versus good clinical response (GR) to the first biologic.

METHODS

This prospective cohort analysis evaluated patients in the multicenter CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry who initiated their first biologic between 2015 and 2020 and were followed for ≥24 months. Multivariable logistic regression identified sociodemographic, clinical, and patient-reported outcomes that differed between MBF (discontinued ≥2 biologics of different classes, each used for ≥90 days, due to inadequate efficacy) and GR (continued use of first biologic for ≥2 years) patients.

RESULTS

One thousand thirty-nine patients were analyzed (490 GR [47.2%], 65 MBF [6.3%]). Female sex, shorter psoriasis duration, earlier year of biologic initiation, prior nonbiologic systemic therapy use, history of hyperlipidemia, and Medicaid insurance were significantly associated with MBF, though the latter 2 variables exhibited wider confidence intervals, indicating a lower level of support. The first-to-second biologic sequence most observed with MBF was Tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitor to IL-17 inhibitor use.

LIMITATIONS

Biologic adherence between visits was not evaluated.

CONCLUSION

Approximately 6% of psoriasis patients met MBF criteria. The results identify characteristics associated with MBF that may distinguish patients warranting more frequent follow-up.

Skin Clearance is Associated with Reduced Treatment Failure in Patients with Psoriasis: Real-World Evidence from the CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry

INTRODUCTION

Complete and near-complete skin clearance have become achievable treatment goals for patients with psoriasis receiving systemic biologic therapies. However, there is limited real-world evidence regarding the impact of the degree of skin clearance on biologic treatment patterns among these patients.

METHODS

This longitudinal cohort study assessed the relationship between degree of skin clearance following initiation of a systemic biologic therapy and treatment failure among patients from the CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry (April 2015-August 2021). Patients had Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score > 5 at systemic biologic therapy initiation and ≥ 1 follow-up visit(s) within 15 months of initiation. Treatment failure (discontinuation due to poor response/adverse event; addition of non-biologic therapy) and degree of skin clearance (measured by PASI) were assessed following biologic initiation. Proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the association between PASI response level and treatment failure over follow-up.

RESULTS

This study included 2701 patient initiations from 2516 unique patients with 3846 total visits over follow-up. Over half of the patient initiations (n = 1412; 52.3%) were among patients with PASI >10. Treatment failure occurred in 1.3% of visits at which PASI100 was achieved, while those achieving PASI90 - < 100 and PASI75 - < 90 had treatment failure rates of 3.4% and 3.5%, respectively. After adjustment for confounders, the risk of treatment failure was two to three times higher in the PASI90 - < 100 (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.61; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35, 5.02; p = 0.004) and PASI75 < 90 (HR = 2.97; CI 1.58, 5.58; p = 0.001) groups compared to the PASI100 group. The risk of treatment failure was more than 20 times higher in the < PASI75 group versus the PASI100 group (HR = 22.26; CI 13.32, 37.21; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that patients are more likely to remain on a systemic biologic therapy if they achieve near-complete or complete skin clearance, supporting the continued need to target skin clearance as a treatment goal in psoriasis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02707341.

Increasing Access to Effective Systemic Treatments in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis: Narrative Review

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disease with a worldwide prevalence ranging between 0.51 and 11.43%. It results in a large clinical and social burden, with patients frequently suffering from reduced quality of life, psychologic distress and debilitating comorbidities. Biologic agents are used to establish and maintain disease control in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis and are essential to improving quality of life. However, a substantial proportion of patients have limited access to therapy due to economics, health policies and clinical considerations, which creates clinical unmet needs that disadvantage both patients and healthcare professionals. Biosimilars are a cost-effective alternative to off-patent biologic therapies, and there is mounting evidence to suggest they offer a valuable pharmacoeconomic strategy to lower healthcare costs in patients with psoriasis. Furthermore, the introduction of biosimilars can increase the number of patients able to receive biologics, allowing these patients to be treated earlier in the disease course, potentially modifying the course of their disease and reducing the risk of comorbidities. In time, the emergence of additional data, particularly those related to long-term safety, efficacy in extrapolated indications and the effects of switching, should reassure physicians and help overcome the final hurdles for a wider implementation of biosimilars. This review aims to provide an overview of current treatment approaches for patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis in the biosimilars era and explores both the current challenges and potential opportunities to improve access to high-quality, effective treatments.

Real-world switching patterns and associated characteristics in patients with psoriasis treated with biologics in the United States

BACKGROUND

Switching therapies is common for patients with psoriasis.

OBJECTIVE

To quantify real-world switching rates and characteristics among patients initiating biologics over 24 months.

METHODS

Patients aged ≥18 years with ≥2 confirmed psoriasis diagnoses who initiated a new biologic were identified from a US-payer claims database (Merative® MarketScan^® Switching rates were reported over 24 months using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed to identify associated patient characteristics.

RESULTS

7,997 patients were included, with overall treatment switch rates at 14.4% at 12 months and 26.0% at 24 months. IL-23 inhibitors were associated with the lowest risk of switching compared with TNF, IL-17, and IL-12/23 inhibitors over 24 months (P < 0.0001). Switch rates varied between specific biologics, with the lowest switch rates observed for patients treated with risankizumab at 8.5% followed by guselkumab at 15.7% over 24 months. Prior targeted immune modulator use, age, and female gender were predictors of switching (adjusted hazard ratio; 1.23, 1.31, and 1.40, respectively; P ≤ 0.0005).

LIMITATIONS

Claims data may be subject to data errors and reasons for switching cannot be determined.

CONCLUSION

Switching was common in psoriasis patients using biologics over 24 months, with the lowest risk of switching observed with IL-23 inhibitors.

The association between cost sharing, prior authorization, and specialty drug utilization: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Specialty drugs are identified by high monthly costs and complexity of administration. Payers use utilization management strategies, including prior authorization and separate tiers with higher cost sharing, to control spending. These strategies can negatively impact patients' health outcomes through treatment initiation delays, medication abandonment, and nonadherence. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of patient cost sharing on specialty drug utilization and the effect of prior authorization on treatment delay and specialty drug utilization. METHODS: We conducted a literature search in the period between February 2021 and April 2022 using PubMed for articles published in English without restriction on date of publication. We included research papers with prior authorization and cost sharing for specialty drugs as exposure variables and specialty drug utilization as the outcome variable. Studies were reviewed by 2 independent reviewers and relevant information from eligible studies was extracted using a standardized form and approved by 2 reviewers. Review papers, opinion pieces, and projects without data were excluded. RESULTS: Forty-four studies were included in this review after screening and exclusions, 9 on prior authorization and 35 on cost sharing. Patients with lower cost sharing via patient support programs experienced higher adherence, fewer days to fill prescriptions, and lower discontinuation rates. Similar outcomes were noted for patients on low-income subsidy programs. Increasing cost sharing above $100 was associated with up to 75% abandonment rate for certain specialty drugs. This increased level of cost sharing was also associated with higher discontinuation rates and odds. At the same time, decreasing out-of-pocket costs increased initiation of specialty drugs. However, inconsistent results on impact of cost sharing on medication possession ratio (MPR) and proportion of days covered (PDC) were reported. Some studies reported a negative association between higher costs and MPR and PDC; however, MPR and PDC of cancer specialty drugs did not decrease with higher costs. Significant delays in prescription initiation were reported when prior authorization was needed. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of patient cost sharing reduce specialty drug use by increasing medication abandonment while generally decreasing initiation and persistence. Similarly, programs that reduce patient cost sharing increase initiation and persistence. In contrast, cost sharing had an inconsistent and bidirectional effect on MPR and PDC. Prior authorization caused treatment delays, but its effects on specialty drug use varied. More research is needed to examine the effect of cost sharing and prior authorization on long-term health outcomes.

Inconsistencies in the days supply values reported in pharmacy claims databases for biologics with long maintenance intervals

BACKGROUND: Days supply values reported in large administrative claims databases are commonly used to estimate drug exposure and quantify adherence and persistence with prescribed therapy. In recent claims database studies assessing treatment patterns for biologic therapies, a high frequency of 28-31-days supply values has been observed for therapies with label-recommended maintenance dosing intervals longer than 4 weeks. Such inconsistencies suggest potential inaccuracy of days supply data. OBJECTIVE: To confirm the existence and describe the extent of inconsistencies in the reported days supply values and the documented fill intervals among prescription claims from administrative claims databases for 2 different biologics with label-recommended maintenance dosing intervals longer than 4 weeks and 2 biologics with intervals less than or equal to 4 weeks. METHODS: Using data from 2 large US administrative claims databases (IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters and the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart Socio-economic Status [SES]), the reported days supply values and associated intervals between consecutive fills for 2 biologics with maintenance dosing intervals longer than 4 weeks (guselkumab and ustekinumab) and 2 with intervals less than or equal to 4 weeks (adalimumab and ixekizumab) were described. For all fill pairs with reported days supply values of 28-31 days, the percentage with inconsistent fill intervals (defined as >45 days or >60 days) was calculated. RESULTS: Across all datasets, the proportions of fill pairs with inconsistent days supply values and fill intervals (ie, days supply values of 28-31 days but fill intervals of >45 days) were 41.8%-73.4% for guselkumab, 33.4%-59.4% for ustekinumab, 8.5%-9.5% for adalimumab, and 7.3%-11.4% for ixekizumab. The same trend was observed across these biologics when using more than 60 days to define an inconsistent fill interval. Unlike adalimumab and ixekizumab, a wide distribution of fill intervals was observed among guselkumab and ustekinumab fill pairs with 28-31 days supply values, with peaks evident at approximately 28-31 days as well as around the label-recommended maintenance dosing intervals for these therapies (56 or 84 days). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a large discrepancy between days supply values and fill intervals reported in administrative claims data for biologics with label-recommended maintenance dosing intervals longer than 4 weeks (ie, guselkumab and ustekinumab), potentially suggesting widespread underestimation of days supply values for these therapies. Such inconsistencies in the reported days supply values may lead to underestimation of treatment adherence and persistence for these biologics, which could be mitigated by systematic data imputation. DISCLOSURES: This study was funded by Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC. Ms Xu and Drs Ferrante, Fitzgerald, Pericone, and Wu are employees of Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC, and shareholders of Johnson & Johnson, of which Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary. Funding for programming support and medical writing and editorial assistance was provided by Janssen.

Treatment Persistence of Ixekizumab in Adults with Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis Participating in the Canadian Patient Support Program

INTRODUCTION

Patients with psoriasis (PsO) should adhere to and be persistent with treatment to maintain disease control. Patient support programs (PSPs) are useful to support patients with disease management. We aimed to understand the real-world patient profile and persistence of ixekizumab-initiating Canadian patients with moderate-to-severe PsO using PSP data.

METHODS

This retrospective observational study was conducted utilizing a Canadian PSP database (May 2016 to March 2020). Inclusion criteria were: age ≥ 18 years with moderate-to-severe PsO, initiated ixekizumab, enrolled in the PSP for ≥ 6 months, and provided informed consent. Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), body surface area (BSA) involvement, and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) were collected at PSP entry. Adherence [using the proportion of days covered (PDC)] and persistence (using Kaplan-Meier curves) were assessed after 1-year and 2-year follow-ups. Differences in persistence between biologic-naïve and biologic-experienced patients were compared using Cox proportional hazards model after adjusting baseline parameters.

RESULTS

In total, 1891 ixekizumab-treated moderate-to-severe patients with PsO were included. The mean [standard deviation (SD)] age was 52.3 (13.3) years; 51.1% of patients were 45-65 years old and 61.4% were male. At baseline, the mean (SD) PASI score was 14.3 (8.1), the DLQI score was 16.5 (7.7), and BSA % was 17.4 (15.1). PsO lesions were commonly located on the hands (33.4%), face (28.6%), and feet (23.8%). Ixekizumab-treated patients were highly adherent [PDC ≥ 80%: 1-year (92.0%), 2-year (87.7%)] and persistent [1-year (90.4%), 2-year (85.6%)]. Biologic-naïve patients were more adherent (1-year, 94.6% versus 87.3%; 2-year, 90.3% versus 83.5%) than biologic-experienced patients. Significantly higher persistence in biologic-naïve versus biologic-experienced patients for 1-year (p < 0.01) and 2-year (p = 0.010) follow-up periods was observed after adjusting for baseline parameters.

CONCLUSION

Patients with moderate-to-severe PsO overwhelmingly remained on ixekizumab treatment for more than 2 years while participating in a PSP.

Treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization, and costs in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with systemic therapy in Japan: A retrospective claims database study

The real-world treatment landscape for patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis receiving systemic therapies in Japan is not well understood. This study describes the demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization, and psoriasis-associated costs in these patients. This retrospective observational study used data from the Japan Medical Data Center database between January 2016 and December 2020. Eligible patients had a confirmed diagnosis of psoriasis, ≥1 claim for a systemic treatment of interest, medical history for ≥6 months, and follow-up data for ≥12 months. Systemic therapies comprised biologics (tumor necrosis factor and interleukin inhibitors) and oral treatments (a phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, immunosuppressants, and vitamin A). Patient demographics and clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization, and costs were evaluated. The study identified 1770 patients satisfying all inclusion criteria. The mean age was 49.0 years, with 68% of patients aged 20-54 years. Overall, 90.6% and 9.4% of patients received oral medications and biologics as index treatment, respectively. Treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization, and costs were assessed for treatments received by ≥20 patients (n = 1730). During the 12-month follow-up period, 1102/1730 patients (63.7%) discontinued index treatment, of whom 9.9% switched to alternative systemic treatments. The persistence rate was ≥70% for most biologics and <50% for oral systemic treatments. All 1730 patients had ≥1 all-cause outpatient visit (2.0 visits per person per month) and hospitalization frequency was ≤0.01 per person per month. Persistent patients incurred inflation-adjusted costs of Japanese Yen (JPY) 88 667 per person per month. Treatment switching was associated with an increase in total cost: JPY 128 039 per person per month after switching versus JPY 117 504 before switching. This study of Japanese patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis demonstrated low persistence, high discontinuation, and low rates of treatment switching with systemic therapies. Switching was associated with increased total cost. These results indicate unmet needs for new treatments.

Adherence patterns in naïve and prevalent use of infliximab and its biosimilar

Introduction

Although short-term clinical trials have demonstrated that switching from infliximab (INF) bio-originator to its biosimilar is safe with no significant loss of efficacy, there are limited real-world data comparing their patterns of use and adherence.

Methods

Using 2015–2018 IBM Marketscan data, we established 4 cohorts of patients with at least one administration or pharmacy claim for INF bio-originator or biosimilar in 2017, including INF naïve biosimilar users, INF prevalent biosimilar users, INF naïve bio-originator users, and INF prevalent bio-originator users, defined according to their prior use of INF from 2015 to their first INF administration in 2017. The proportion of days covered (PDC) was calculated for patients with at least 6, 12, or 18 months of follow-up time. Factors associated with optimal adherence (PDC > 80%) were evaluated using log-binomial models.

Results

We identified 96 INF naïve biosimilar users, 223 INF prevalent biosimilar users, 2,149 INF naïve bio-originator users, and 10,970 INF prevalent bio-originator users. At the end of 18 months of follow-up, 64% of INF prevalent bio-originators, 48% of INF naïve biosimilars, 41% of INF naïve bio-originators, and 36% of INF prevalent biosimilars had optimal adherence. Depression, previous hospitalization, and greater use of prior biologics were negatively associated with adherence, whereas IBD diagnoses (referent to RA) and age 55–64 (referent to < 35) were positively associated with high adherence.

Conclusion

INF prevalent users had higher adherence in our analyses than INF naïve users. However, further studies with larger sample size are needed to evaluate INF biosimilar users’ adherence.

Treatment Patterns for Targeted Therapies, Non-Targeted Therapies, and Drug Holidays in Patients with Psoriasis

Introduction

We aimed to evaluate US treatment patterns and, more specifically, switch patterns among patients with psoriasis (PsO) who initiated treatment with targeted therapy (TT) and subsequently switched to another therapy.

Methods

This retrospective study used IBM^® MarketScan^® Commercial and Medicare Databases (1/1/2006–3/31/2020) to evaluate treatment patterns in biologic- and apremilast-naive patients with PsO. TT included apremilast, adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, ustekinumab, or other biologics (certolizumab pegol, secukinumab, brodalumab, ixekizumab, guselkumab, or tildrakizumab). Adults with ≥ 1 prescription for a TT, ≥ 2 PsO claims separated by ≥ 1 day on or before the index date (date of first TT prescription), and continuous medical and pharmacy enrollment for 1 year before and 2 years after the index date were eligible. Non-targeted therapy (NTT) was defined as non-targeted oral systemic treatment, topical treatment, phototherapy, or no treatment. Kaplan–Meier (KM) analysis was used to estimate time to reinitiation of TT (24-month continuous enrollment post-index was not required).

Results

A total of 11,526 patients with PsO were included; mean [standard deviation (SD)] age and Charlson Comorbidity Index score were 48.3 (12.8) years and 0.9 (1.43), respectively. During the follow-up, 69.2% of the patients were treated with NTT. Median time to first NTT, for those who received NTT, was 205 days (longest: adalimumab, 252 days). Among patients who switched to NTT after initiating treatment with TT, 52.6% reinitiated treatment with TT (least common: apremilast, 45.6%), with a median time to reinitiation of 106 days (longest: other biologics, 136 days). For all patients on NTT, the probability of reinitiating any TT was 60.7% at 24 months.

Conclusions

PsO treatment is often cyclical in nature. Patients frequently experience drug holidays or transition back to TT after using NTT. The consideration of real-world treatment patterns in future economic models may provide new insights into the clinical effectiveness and value of PsO treatments.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects 3.0% of adults or an estimated 7.56 million Americans. The most common type of psoriasis is called plaque psoriasis because of its appearance with red patches and silvery scales on the skin. A major concern of medical providers is that not all patients continue their treatment as prescribed. Many patients discontinue, switch, and often restart treatment. To develop effective psoriasis treatment plans for shared decision-making among medical providers and patients, it is important to look at how treatments are used in the real world. This can be done by conducting studies using insurance claims data from healthcare insurance providers. In this study, we evaluated treatment patterns and, more specifically, patterns in changes of treatment in US patients who began their psoriasis treatment with a targeted therapy (biologics or apremilast) and then changed to another therapy. We found that patients often took drug holidays (days with no treatment) and returned back to using a targeted therapy after using a non-targeted therapy (e.g., other oral therapy, topical treatment, phototherapy, or no treatment). Findings from this real-world study may support future studies on the clinical effectiveness and value of current and future treatments for psoriasis—especially within these targeted to non-targeted transitions.

Use of Biological Drugs for Psoriasis: A Drug-Utilization Study Using Tuscan Administrative Databanks

Our study aims at providing evidence on patterns of use of biologic drugs for psoriasis in Tuscany, Italy. We conducted a drug-utilization study based on administrative databanks of Tuscany (EUPAS45365) from 2011 to 2019. We selected new users of etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab, ustekinumab, or secukinumab between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2016. We considered subjects with psoriasis and followed subjects until the end of the study period (three years after the first dispensation of biologic drug for psoriasis) or the patient’s death, whichever came first. We censored subjects for pregnancy or neoplasia. For each subject, we defined the state as the weekly coverage of one of the biologic drugs of interest. We then defined the switch as the change from a state to another one. A total of 7062 subjects with a first dispensation of a PSObio drug in the inclusion period was identified, and 1839 (52.9% female, 51.6 mean age) patients were included in the analysis. Among new users of adalimumab (N = 770, 41.9%), one third showed a continuous behaviour whereas the others moved to etanercept and ustekinumab. New users of etanercept (N = 758, 41.2%), had the highest proportion of switchers, with adalimumab most often being the second choice. New users of infliximab (N = 159, 8.6%) experienced the highest proportion of treatment discontinuation. The present study suggests that the majority of patients treated with PSObio drugs do not switch from one active ingredient to another. However, patients who started biological therapy with etanercept had the highest frequency of switching to other PSObio drugs, whereas those who started with secukinumab or ustekinumab had the lowest.

Comparison of the Efficacy and Safety of Biologics (Secukinumab, Ustekinumab, and Guselkumab) for the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis: Real-world Data from a Single Korean Center

Biologics are important treatment options for psoriasis; however, direct comparison of their efficacy, safety, and drug survival is insufficient in clinical practice. This retrospective single-center study aimed to compare the efficacy, safety, and drug survival of three commonly used psoriasis biologics (secukinumab, ustekinumab, and guselkumab) and identify the factors affecting drug survival in actual clinics in Korea. We enrolled 111 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis and for at least 56 weeks of follow-up; among these, 27, 23, and 61 were administered secukinumab, ustekinumab, and guselkumab, respectively. All groups were comparable with respect to their baseline characteristics. Secukinumab showed a rapid response, and guselkumab was superior in terms of a long-term response and complete remission compared with other biologics, while ustekinumab showed a lower efficacy compared with other biologics. All three biologics had a favorable and similar safety profile; however, allergic reactions and latent tuberculosis were more common with secukinumab and ustekinumab, respectively. Guselkumab was the most sustained biologic, and the survival rates of secukinumab and ustekinumab were similar. Drug survival was remarkably shorter in female patients and those with hypertension. Introduction of new biologics emerged as a negative factor for drug survival in clinical settings.

Internet-based survey intervention improves adherence to methotrexate among psoriasis patients

BACKGROUND

While it is known that psoriasis patients have poor adherence to both topical and systemic medications, adherence to methotrexate is not well-characterized, and ways to improve methotrexate adherence have not been addressed.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether a digital intervention improved adherence to oral methotrexate as measured by electronic monitoring.

METHODS

Twenty-nine patients were randomized to receive either weekly digital interventions assessing treatment adherence or no intervention for 24 weeks. Patients received medication bottles with electronic monitoring, and returned at weeks 4, 12, and 24 to evaluate disease severity.

RESULTS

The intervention group took methotrexate correctly 77.1% of the weeks observed compared to the control group which averaged 64.5%. More intervention patients took methotrexate as directed compared to the control group (78.3% vs 64.2%, p < 0.0001). Patients were most adherent around follow-up visits, with 100% of digital intervention patients and 80% of control patients taking methotrexate correctly during the week of a follow-up visit (p = 0.02). The digital intervention did not significantly improve disease severity in the intervention group compared to the nonintervention group.

CONCLUSIONS

Low cost, scalable digital interventions may have the potential to increase psoriasis patient adherence to methotrexate, although the mechanism for the improvement is not yet well defined.

Risk of Treatment Discontinuation among Patients with Psoriasis Initiated on Ustekinumab and Other Biologics in the USA

Introduction

Biologics are a standard therapy for patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, yet treatment persistence is essential to achieve disease control. Compared with other biologics, ustekinumab has been associated with lower rates of discontinuation and better adherence among patients with psoriasis, but prior studies have included limited data from the period after approval of self-administration for ustekinumab. This study was conducted to assess discontinuation risk among patients with plaque psoriasis initiating ustekinumab or other biologics.

Methods

Adults with psoriasis and one or more claim for ustekinumab, secukinumab, adalimumab, or ixekizumab were identified in Optum’s de-identified Clinformatics Data Mart Database (1 January 2010 to 30 June 2019). Treatment discontinuation was defined as a gap in days of therapy supply based on (1) each drug’s per-label frequency of administration (main analysis) or (2) > 90 days (sensitivity analysis). Differences in baseline characteristics between the ustekinumab and other cohorts were adjusted with entropy balancing. Risk of discontinuation was compared with Cox proportional hazard models.

Results

Overall, 2230 patients were included in the ustekinumab cohort, with 1807 in the secukinumab, 4483 in the adalimumab, and 535 in the ixekizumab cohorts (mean age 49.0 years, 49.3% female for all cohorts). In the main analysis, risk of discontinuation for the ustekinumab cohort was 62.2% lower than for adalimumab, 46.4% lower than for secukinumab, and 43.8% lower than for ixekizumab cohorts (all p < 0.001). Sensitivity analyses revealed no significant differences between the ustekinumab and other cohorts.

Conclusions

Patients with psoriasis initiating ustekinumab had lower risk of treatment discontinuation compared with other biologics when discontinuation was based on each drug’s per-label frequency of administration. This finding may help inform choice of biologic based on compliance.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13555-022-00707-z.

Adherence and Persistence to Biological Drugs for Psoriasis: Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Despite the large number of biologics currently available for moderate-to-severe psoriasis, poor adherence and persistence to therapy represent the main issues for both the clinical and economic management of psoriasis. However, the data about adherence and persistence to biologics in psoriasis patients are conflicting. Our aim was to produce summary estimates of adherence and persistence to biologics in adult patients with psoriasis. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies, searching two databases (PubMed and Embase). Sixty-two records met the inclusion criteria, and a meta-analysis was conducted on fifty-five studies. Overall, the proportion of adherent and persistent patients to biological therapy was 0.61 (95% confidence interval: 0.48–0.73) and 0.63 (0.57–0.68), respectively. The highest proportions were found for ustekinumab, while the lowest ones were found for etanercept. The proportions of adherence and persistence to biological drugs in psoriasis patients are sub-optimal. Notably, both proportions largely differ between drugs, suggesting that a more rational use of biologics might ensure better management of psoriasis.

Treatment patterns and health care costs among patients with psoriatic arthritis treated with biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs

BACKGROUND: Biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (tsDMARD) therapies are used in management of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Although previous studies have demonstrated that rates of adherence, persistence, discontinuation, and switching, as well as health care costs, are variable among treatments, limited published data exist on more recently approved therapies. OBJECTIVE: To describe adherence, persistence, discontinuation, reinitiation, switching, dosing patterns, and health care costs among PsA patients treated with biologics and tsDMARDs. METHODS: This was a real-world, retrospective administrative claims study. Adult PsA patients with at least 1 claim for an approved PsA biologic (adalimumab, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab, secukinumab, or ustekinumab) or tsDMARD (apremilast or tofacitinib) between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2019, were selected from the IBM MarketScan administrative claims databases. The first claim for one of the study treatments determined the index date and drug cohort. Patients were required to be continuously enrolled in their health plans for 12 months before and after the index date and to have at least 1 claim with a diagnosis of PsA in the 12 months before or on the index date. Adherence (measured by proportion of days covered [PDC] and medication possession ratio [MPR]), persistence (< 60-day gap in treatment), discontinuation (> 90-day gap), reinitiation of index drug, switching, and dosing patterns for each index drug were assessed during the 12-month follow-up period. Health care costs were reported per patient per month (PPPM) during the 12-month follow-up and assessed after adjusting PsA treatment costs by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review discount factors to account for discounts and rebates not usually reflected in claims data and by adherence. RESULTS: Overall, 6,674 patients met the selection criteria. The top 3 index drugs were adalimumab (37%), apremilast (26%), and etanercept (18%). Over 12 months of follow-up, 31%-59% of patients remained persistent on the index drug, whereas 35%-56% discontinued, 13%-29% switched to a different biologic or tsDMARD, and 3%-15% reinitiated the index therapy, depending on the index drug. The mean PDC ranged from 0.51 to 0.69 during the 12-month follow-up and 0.80 to 0.93 during the follow-up period before discontinuation. Dose values were largely consistent with prescribing information, with the exception of secukinumab. Index drug costs PPPM ranged from $2,361 (apremilast) to $6,528 for ustekinumab after adjustment for discounts and adherence. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this real-world analysis suggest that there is substantial variability in persistence, discontinuation, adherence, reinitiating, and switching patterns among the different biologic and tsDMARD treatment options for PsA patients. In addition, this study provides real-world cost data for biologics and tsDMARDs among patients with PsA. DISCLOSURES: This study was funded by Eli Lilly Inc., which participated in analysis and interpretation of data, drafting, reviewing, and approving the publication. All authors contributed to the development of the publication and maintained control over the final content. Murage, Malatestinic, Zhu, Atiya, Kern, Stenger, and Sprabery are employees and stockholders of Eli Lilly Inc. Princic and Park are employed by IBM Watson Health, which received funding from Eli Lilly Inc. to conduct this study. Ogdie has received consulting fees from Amgen, AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Corrona, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, and Pfizer and has also received grant support from Pfizer, Novartis, and Amgen. Portions of these data have been presented in poster form at the virtual International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) 2020 and Congress of Clinical Rheumatology (CCR) West 2020 conferences.

Differential Effects by Mental Health Status of Filling the Medicare Part D Coverage Gap

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to study how changes in insurance benefit design affect medication use of older adults with mental disorders.

DATA SOURCES

US Medicare claims data from 2007 to 2018.

STUDY DESIGN

Exploiting the gradual elimination of the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap beginning in 2011, we examine the effects on medication use and out-of-pocket spending by drug type with a difference-in-differences approach. We identify subpopulations by mental disorder and compare the estimates across mental health groups and to the general Medicare population.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Closing the gap substantially reduced individuals' out-of-pocket spending, and the reduction was larger for those with more severe mental disorders. The policy led to a statistically significant increase in branded drugs used for the Medicare population (0.91; P<0.01; 12.12% increase), beneficiaries with severe mental disorders (2.71; P<0.01; 11.13% increase), and common mental disorders (2.63; P<0.01; 11.62% increase), whereas such effect for beneficiaries with Alzheimer disease and dementia (AD) is substantially smaller (0.44; P<0.01; 1.83% increase). In contrast, the policy decreased generic drugs used by about 3%-5% for all groups. Overall, beneficiaries without mental health illness have a statistically significant increase in total medication use (2.05%) following the coverage gap closure, while all 3 mental health groups have either no statistically significant changes or a small reduction in total mediation use (AD, -1.26%).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients' responses to price changes vary across mental disorders and by drug type. The impact on branded drug utilization among those with AD is particularly small. Our findings suggest that lowering medication costs has differential impacts across diseases and may not be sufficient to improve adherence for all conditions, in particular those with severe mental health disorders such as AD.

Risk of Candida Infection and Serious Infections in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis Receiving Biologics: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

Biological agents used to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis have been associated with Candida infection and other serious infections. It is, however, necessary to verify whether biologic agents increase the risk of Candida infection and serious infections and whether these risks vary among biologics.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from their inception to December 2021. Results from individual RCT were pooled using Peto's method with a fixed-effects model, and I ² was calculated to assess the heterogeneity. A Cochrane collaboration tool was used to examine bias risk, and Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) were used to assess the quality of evidence.

RESULTS

This study included 48 published articles with data from 52 RCTs involving 27297 participants. The anti-interleukin (IL)-17 agents (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.54-3.45, P < 0.0001) and anti-IL-12/23 agents (95% CI = 1.69-3.83, P < 0.0001) were associated with an increased risk of Candida infection compared with placebos, but there was no difference in Candida infection risk between anti-IL-17 agents and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) (95% CI = 0.92-3.07, P=0.09). There was no evidence that the biological agents increased the risk of serious infections in adult psoriasis (95% CI = 0.93-2.06, P=0.11) or that the biologics differed in the risk of serious infections.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that anti-IL-17 agents, especially secukinumab, were associated with the increased risk of Candida infection. The clinically used biological agents did not increase the risk of serious infections.

Healthcare Providers Face Numerous Challenges in Treating Patients with Psoriasis: Results from a Mixed-Methods Study

Background

The paradigm shift toward biologic medications in psoriasis care requires healthcare providers (HCPs) to become acquainted with mechanisms of action and safety profiles of these new treatments to confidently use them in practice. A better understanding of this paradigm shift is necessary to provide adequate education for HCPs in psoriasis care.

Objectives

This study assessed clinical practice gaps and challenges experienced by HCPs caring for patients with psoriasis.

Methods

A mixed-methods approach was used to identify practice gaps and clinical challenges of dermatologists, rheumatologists, primary care physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners with various levels of clinical experience in academic and community-based settings. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected sequentially. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed.

Results

A total of 380 psoriasis care providers in Canada and the US participated in this study. Analysis revealed challenges in establishing an accurate diagnosis of psoriasis (including screening for sub-type and distinguishing psoriasis from other skin conditions), selecting treatment (particularly regarding recently approved treatments), monitoring side effects, and collaborating with other HCPs involved in psoriasis care.

Conclusion

These findings highlight educational needs of HCPs involved in psoriasis care that could have repercussions on accurate and timely diagnosis of the condition, treatment initiation, side effect monitoring, and continuity of care. Findings provide a starting point for clinicians to reflect on their practice and for the improvement of continuing professional development interventions that would bridge these gaps.

Real-World Treatment Patterns and Healthcare Costs in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis Treated with Ixekizumab: A Retrospective Study

OBJECTIVE

To describe adherence, persistence, discontinuation, restarting, switching, dosing, and health care costs among patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) treated with ixekizumab (IXE).

METHODS

MarketScan administrative claims databases were used to select adults (≥18 years) initiating IXE between January 1, 2016, and June 30, 2019, for this retrospective study (earliest IXE claim = index). Eligible patients had one or more PsA diagnoses during the 12 months preceding the index and had 12 months of follow-up time after the index. Adherence (measured by proportion of days covered [PDC]) persistence (<60-day gap), discontinuation (≥90-day gap), switching, and dosing patterns were reported. Health care costs were reported per patient per month (PPPM) during follow-up and were assessed after adjusting PsA treatment costs for discount rates reported by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER).

RESULTS

A total of 496 patients met the selection criteria (mean age, 51.1 years; 50.4% female). Over the 12-month follow-up, 52.8% remained persistent, 38.7% discontinued, 13.5% had no other treatment, 4.6% restarted, and 20.6% switched to a new biologic/traditional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug. 70.6%of patients were identified as highly adherent (i.e. PDC > 0.80)to IXE prior to discontinuation. Dose values were consistent with prescribing information for patients with and without comorbid psoriasis. Although IXE costs ($5233 [SD = $2497]) accounted for 85.6% of PsA-related health care costs, only 3.5% of IXE costs were patient out-of-pocket expenses. Adjusting for the ICER discounts decreased all-cause and PsA-related costs by $2509 PPPM.

CONCLUSION

Results from this real-world analysis suggest that treatment patterns and costs among patients with PsA initiating IXE are consistent with prior literature for other biologics.

Demographics, Disease Characteristics, and Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Patients with Psoriasis Who Initiated Guselkumab in CorEvitas' Psoriasis Registry

Introduction

Guselkumab is approved for the treatment of both moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in the USA. However, little is known about patients initiating guselkumab in a real-world setting. The objective of this study was to describe baseline characteristics among patients with plaque psoriasis who initiated guselkumab at or after enrollment in CorEvitas’ Psoriasis Registry.

Methods

Adult patients who initiated guselkumab in the Psoriasis Registry between July 18, 2017 and November 6, 2018 were included. Demographics, disease characteristics, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were assessed at the time of guselkumab initiation (baseline). Patients with psoriasis were stratified according to the number of previously received biologics (0 to 4+) for comparison. A subset of patients with psoriasis and concomitant dermatologist-diagnosed PsA were stratified into biologic-naïve and biologic-experienced groups.

Results

Among 687 patients with psoriasis who initiated guselkumab, biologic-naïve patients and those with four or more prior biologics had the most severe disease and the worst PROM scores at baseline. Among 251 patients with concomitant dermatologist-diagnosed PsA, biologic-naïve patients had more severe disease and worse PROM scores than biologic-experienced patients.

Conclusions

These findings highlight important differences in baseline characteristics according to biologic experience among patients with plaque psoriasis with or without concomitant PsA initiating guselkumab in a real-world setting.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13555-021-00637-2.

Adherence to systemic therapy in patients with psoriasis during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multicenter study

Background

Adherence to treatment is important in chronic dermatological diseases. There are limited data regarding the adherence to treatment in patients with psoriasis during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Aims

We aimed to determine the rates of adherence to systemic treatments in patients with psoriasis and to identify the causes of non‐adherence during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional multicenter study from May 2021 to August 2021. A questionnaire including items regarding sociodemographic characteristics of the patients, disease‐related characteristics, and treatment‐related characteristics were filled out by the physicians. The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), Hospital Anxiety, and Depression Scale, and the Dermatology Life Quality Index were calculated. The rate of adherence and non‐adherence to treatment and reasons for non‐adherence to treatment were examined.

Results

A total of 342 patients with psoriasis were included (182 male/160 female) in the study. The mean age of the patients was 45.9 ± 14.2 years. The average duration of psoriasis was 192 ± 134.7 months. While the rate of adherence to treatment was 57.6%, the rate of non‐adherence to treatment was 42.4%. There were no significant differences with respect to adherence to treatment in comparison with oral and injection‐therapy groups. The most frequent reasons for non‐adherence to treatment were inability to go to the hospital (19.2%), concern about the COVID‐19 infection (16.3%), discontinuation of the treatment by the doctor (13.7%), inability to reach the doctor (7.3%), and inability to have access to the medication (7.3%).

Conclusion

Adherence to oral and injection therapies was fairly high among our patients with psoriasis during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Psoriasis severity and duration of medication use had a negative impact on adherence to treatment.

Drug Adherence and Persistence of Patients with Moderate to Severe Psoriasis Treated with Biologic Medications in a US Commercially Insured Population

BACKGROUND

Adalimumab (ADA), certolizumab pegol (CER), etanercept (ETA), guselkumab (GUS), ixekizumab (IXE), secukinumab (SEC), and ustekinumab (UST) are biologic medications approved in the USA for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. We examined drug adherence and persistence of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis who initiated these seven biologic medications.

METHODS

Adult patients with ≥1 pharmacy/medical claim for any of the seven psoriasis medications and ≥1 diagnosis of psoriasis in the previous 6 months between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2019 were selected from the IBM MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Encounters Database. The index date was defined as the date of the first prescription fill. Patients were required to have continuous health plan enrollment during the 6 months prior to their index date and ≥9 months after. Patients were grouped into seven study cohorts based upon their index biologic medication. Adherence was measured using the proportion of days covered (PDC) and defined by a PDC ≥80%. Adherence and persistence with index biologic medications were examined during fixed follow-up periods of 3, 6, and 9 months, with a subpopulation analysis carried out among patients with 12 months of follow-up.

RESULTS

Among psoriasis patients with ≥9 months of continuous enrollment included in the study population, the number of those who initiated each biologic medication was 10,324 for ADA, 431 for CER, 3,092 for ETA, 821 for GUS, 1,766 for IXE, 4,132 for SEC, and 5,441 for UST. The mean age at the time of initiating biologic treatment was 46.9 years. During the 9-month follow-up period, the proportions of adherent patients (i.e., PDC ≥80%) were numerically higher among those treated with UST (59.9%) and GUS (56.9%), followed by those treated with SEC (46.1%), IXE (45.5%), ADA (44.7%), ETA (33.9%), and CER (22.0%). The proportions of patients who were persistent with their index biologic medication during the 9-month follow-up period were numerically higher among those treated with UST (70.1%) and GUS (67.8%), followed by those treated with IXE (47.3%), SEC (46.9%), ADA (28.7%), CER (14.8%), and ETA (10.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

In this large healthcare claims database analysis of psoriasis patients treated with seven different biologic medications, adherence was numerically higher among those treated with UST or GUS. UST and GUS were also associated with numerically greater persistence.

Comparison of Real-World Treatment Patterns Among Biologic-Experienced Patients with Psoriasis Treated with Ixekizumab or Secukinumab Over 18 Months

Introduction

Real-world data comparing effectiveness of ixekizumab (IXE) and secukinumab (SEC) among biologic-experienced patients are limited. This study compared treatment patterns over 18 months among biologic-experienced patients with psoriasis receiving IXE or SEC in the USA.

Methods

A retrospective observational study using administrative claims data from IBM^® Watson Health MarketScan^® Research Databases included adult patients with ≥ 1 inpatient or ≥ 2 non-diagnostic (≥ 30 days apart) outpatient claim/s with diagnosis of psoriasis between March 1, 2015 and October 31, 2019, and ≥ 1 claim/s for index drugs, IXE or SEC, between March 1, 2016 and October 31, 2019. Patients had to have ≥ 1 claim/s for biologics indicated for psoriasis in the 6-month pre-period. During the 18-month follow-up, treatment adherence (proportion of days covered [PDC]), high adherence (PDC ≥ 80%), persistence, discontinuation, reinitiation, and switching were assessed. To address cohort imbalances, inverse probability of treatment weighting was employed. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio for high adherence. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratio for non-persistence, discontinuation, and switching.

Results

Overall, 411 IXE and 780 SEC users were included. After weighting, IXE users had significantly higher rate of high treatment adherence (42% vs. 35%, p = 0.019), higher persistence rate (44.9% vs. 36.9%, p = 0.007), lower discontinuation rate (48.4% vs. 56.0%, p = 0.012), and lower switching rate (26.6% vs. 34.0%, p = 0.009) compared with SEC users. After multivariable adjustment, compared with SEC, IXE use was associated with 36% higher odds of high treatment adherence (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.05–1.74), 20% lower risk of treatment non-persistence (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.68–0.93), 19% lower risk of discontinuation (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.68–0.96), and 25% lower risk of switching (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.60–0.93).

Conclusion

This study suggests that IXE treatment is associated with significantly higher adherence rates and significantly lower non-persistence, discontinuation, and switching compared with SEC treatment.

[Compliance with biologic agents: Current situation]

Despite the fact that the prognosis of chronic inflammatory disorders is improved by biological agents, compliance with those therapeutics remains imperfect. Compliance corresponds to the measurable part of the follow-up of the medical prescription by the patient, whereas adherence is related to the acceptation of the treatment by the patient. The compliance rates of biologic agents are generally higher than those of conventional therapies. Compliance can be influenced by the real or experienced efficacity of the treatment, by patient-related factors or by the patient-physician relationship. An increase of compliance is associated with an improvement of adherence. To achieve this, the physician can use educational measures such as patient education, which allows the identification of poor adherence. Such programs have been shown to improve the patient's knowledge of the disease and treatment leading to better adherence and compliance.

Deterioration of Health-Related Quality of Life After Withdrawal of Risankizumab Treatment in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis: A Machine Learning Predictive Model

INTRODUCTION

Risankizumab has demonstrated efficacy in treating moderate-to-severe psoriasis. The phase-3 IMMhance trial (NCT02672852) examined the effect of continuing versus withdrawing from risankizumab treatment on psoriasis severity, including the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and static Physician Global Assessment (sPGA). However, the effect of withdrawal on health-related quality of life (HRQL) was not assessed. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the impact of risankizumab withdrawal on HRQL measured by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Because DLQI was not measured beyond week 16 in IMMhance, a machine learning predictive model for DLQI was developed.

METHODS

A machine learning model for DLQI was fitted using repeated measures data from three phase-3 trials (NCT02684370, NCT02684357, NCT02694523) (pooled N = 1602). An elastic-net algorithm performed automated variable selection among candidate predictors including concurrent PASI and sPGA, demographics, and interaction terms. The machine learning model was used to predict DLQI at weeks 28-104 of IMMhance among patients re-randomized to continue (N = 111) or withdraw from (N = 225) risankizumab after achieving response (sPGA = 0/1) at week 28.

RESULTS

The machine learning predictive model demonstrated good statistical fit during tenfold cross-validation and external validation against observed DLQI at weeks 0-16 of IMMhance (N = 507). Predicted improvements in DLQI from baseline were lower in the withdrawal versus the continuation cohort (mean DLQI change at week 104, -5.9 versus -11.5, difference [95% CI] = 5.6 [4.1, 7.3]). Predicted DLQI deteriorated more extensively than PASI (49.7% versus 36.4%) after treatment withdrawal.

CONCLUSIONS

The predicted DLQI score deteriorated more rapidly after risankizumab withdrawal than the PASI score, an objective measure of disease. These findings suggest that the deterioration in HRQL reflects more substantial impacts after risankizumab discontinuation than those measured by PASI only.

Drug survival and predictor factors for discontinuation of methotrexate in psoriasis: a real-life multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Drug survival is useful to evaluate long-term drug performance in daily practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate drug survival for methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy in patients with plaque-type psoriasis.

METHODS

We reviewed 3,512 follow-up charts of patients with psoriasis at five tertiary referral centers between January 2012 and January 2020. We analyzed baseline data and treatment outcomes of patients under MTX monotherapy. Drug survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses.

RESULTS

Patients with psoriasis who were treated with MTX monotherapy were enrolled (N = 649). The median duration of drug survival was 15 months (95% CI: 13.2-16.8). The overall drug survival rate was 54.7%, 17.4%, and 8% after 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The main reasons for discontinuation were adverse effects (n = 209, 32.2%) and inefficacy (n = 105, 15.6%). Based on multivariate Cox regression analysis, the presence of nausea/vomiting (HR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.49-2.71; P < 0.001) was observed as a statistically significant risk factor for drug discontinuation. Age over 50 years (HR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48-0.97; P = 0.03) and using MTX dose ≥15 mg/weekly were positive predictors for drug survival (HR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.54-0.95; P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

The average drug survival of MTX was 15 months. MTX is still the first-line treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, as highlighted in guidelines. To prevent premature discontinuation, physicians need to look at the response time of at least 16-24 weeks, especially when a stepwise dose increment is used. The presence of nausea/vomiting seemed to be associated with an approximately twofold risk of discontinuation.

Biologic Drug Survival in Psoriasis: A Systematic Review & Comparative Meta-Analysis

Drug survival studies have been utilized to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of biologics used in psoriasis. However, the increasing volume of drug survival data suffers from large variability due to regional differences in drug availability, patient selection and biologic reimbursement. The objective of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of biologic drug survival to determine comparative effectiveness of the biologics in a real-world setting. Studies reporting drug survival for biologic therapy in psoriasis were identified by a systematic literature search. Hazard ratio data for drug discontinuation were estimated directly from published Kaplan-Meier estimator curves at year 1, 2, and 5 of treatment and compared pairwise for the following biologics: ustekinumab, adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, secukinumab, and ixekizumab. This pooled hazard ratios were used to estimate 2- and 5-year overall drug survival rates. Ustekinumab had the longest persistence at 2 and 5 years among all biologics included in this meta-analysis. Adalimumab was superior to etanercept and infliximab at 5 years. Pooled 5-year drug survival rates for adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab were 46.3, 35.9, and 34.7%, respectively. Two- and five-year data were not available for anti-IL-17 drugs, but at 1-year ustekinumab outperformed secukinumab, the latter being equal to anti-TNFs. In conclusion, ustekinumab is characterized by longer drug survival than TNF inhibitors and IL-17 inhibitors. Estimated pooled 2- and 5-year drug survival rates may serve as a useful tool for patient communication and clinical decision-making.

Efficacy and Safety of Continuous Risankizumab Therapy vs Treatment Withdrawal in Patients With Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis: A Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial

Question

Is continuous risankizumab treatment efficacious and safe in adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis?

Findings

In this 2-part, phase 3 randomized clinical trial in 507 patients, a significantly greater proportion of patients treated with risankizumab vs placebo achieved a treatment response at week 16 and with long-term continuous risankizumab compared with withdrawal to placebo at 52 and 104 weeks. Rates of treatment-emergent adverse events were similar to those with placebo and remained stable over time.

Meaning

These findings support the use of 12-week risankizumab dosing as an efficacious and well-tolerated regimen for maintenance of clinical efficacy in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

Importance

Risankizumab selectively inhibits interleukin 23, a cytokine that contributes to psoriatic inflammation.

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of risankizumab vs placebo and continuous treatment vs withdrawal in adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Multinational, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted from March 6, 2016, to July 26, 2018. A total of 507 eligible patients had stable moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis for 6 months or longer, body surface area involvement greater than or equal to 10%, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) greater than or equal to 12, and a static Physician’s Global Assessment (sPGA) score greater than or equal to 3. Intention-to-treat analysis was conducted.

Interventions

Patients were randomized (4:1, interactive response technology) to risankizumab, 150 mg, subcutaneously, or placebo at weeks 0 and 4 (part A1). All patients received risankizumab at week 16. At week 28, patients randomized to risankizumab who achieved an sPGA score of 0/1 were rerandomized 1:2 to risankizumab or placebo every 12 weeks (part B).

Main Outcomes and Measures

Co-primary end points for the part A1 phase included proportions of patients achieving greater than or equal to 90% improvement in PASI (PASI 90) and sPGA score of 0/1 at week 16. The PASI measures severity of erythema, infiltration, and desquamation weighted by area of skin involvement over the head, trunk, upper extremities, and lower extremities; scores range from 0 (no disease) to 72 (maximal disease activity). The sPGA assesses average thickness, erythema, and scaling of all psoriatic lesions; scores range from 0 (clear) to 4 (severe), with 0/1 indicating clear or almost clear. Primary and secondary end points in part B included proportion of rerandomized patients achieving an sPGA score of 0/1 at week 52 (primary) and week 104 (secondary).

Results

Of 563 patients screened, 507 were randomized to risankizumab (n = 407) or placebo (n = 100). Most patients were men (356 [70.2%]); median age was 51 years (interquartile range, 38-60 years). At week 16, 298 patients (73.2%) in the treatment group vs 2 patients (2.0%) receiving placebo achieved a PASI 90 response, and 340 patients (83.5%) receiving risankizumab vs 7 patients (7.0%) receiving placebo achieved sPGA 0/1 scores (placebo-adjusted differences: PASI 90: 70.8%; 95% CI, 65.7%-76.0%; sPGA 0/1: 76.5%; 95% CI, 70.4%-82.5%; P < .001 for both). At week 28, 336 responders were rerandomized to risankizumab (n = 111) or treatment withdrawal (n = 225). At week 52, the sPGA 0/1 score was achieved by 97 patients (87.4%) receiving risankizumab vs 138 patients (61.3%) receiving placebo. At week 104, the sPGA 0/1 score was achieved by 90 patients (81.1%) receiving risankizumab vs 16 patients (7.1%) receiving placebo (placebo-adjusted differences: week 52: 25.9%; 95% CI, 17.3%-34.6%; week 104: 73.9%; 95% CI, 66.0%-81.9%; P < .001 for both). Rates of treatment-emergent adverse events were similar between risankizumab (186 [45.7%]) and placebo (49 [49.0%]) in part A1 and remained stable over time.

Conclusions and Relevance

Risankizumab showed superior efficacy compared with placebo through 16 weeks and treatment withdrawal through 2 years. Risankizumab was well tolerated, with no unexpected safety findings during the 2-year trial.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02672852

Persistence of biologic treatments in psoriatic arthritis: a population-based study in Sweden

Objectives

TNF inhibitors (TNFis) and IL inhibitors are effective treatments for PsA. Treatment non-persistence (drug survival, discontinuation) is a measure of effectiveness, tolerability and patient satisfaction or preferences in real-world clinical practice. Persistence on these treatments is not well understood in European PsA populations. The aim of this study was to compare time to non-persistence for either ustekinumab (IL-12/23 inhibitor) or secukinumab (IL-17 inhibitor) to a reference group of adalimumab (TNFi) treatment exposures in PsA patients and identify risk factors for non-persistence.

Methods

A total of 4649 exposures of adalimumab, ustekinumab, and secukinumab in 3918 PsA patients were identified in Swedish longitudinal population-based registry data. Kaplan–Meier curves were constructed to measure treatment-specific real-world risk of non-persistence and adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were estimated to identify risk factors associated with non-persistence.

Results

Ustekinumab was associated with a lower risk of non-persistence relative to adalimumab in biologic-naïve [hazard ratio (HR) 0.48 (95% CI 0.33, 0.69)] and biologic-experienced patients [HR 0.65 (95% CI 0.56, 0.76)], while secukinumab was associated with a lower risk in biologic-naïve patients [HR 0.65 (95% CI 0.49, 0.86)] but a higher risk of non-persistence in biologic-experienced patients [HR 1.20 (95% CI 1.03, 1.40)]. Biologic non-persistence was also associated with female sex, axial involvement, recent disease onset, biologic treatment experience and no psoriasis.

Conclusion

Ustekinumab exhibits a favourable treatment persistency profile relative to adalimumab overall and across lines of treatment. The performance of secukinumab is dependent on biologic experience. Persistence and risk factors for non-persistence should be accounted for when determining an optimal treatment plan for patients.

Epidemiology of psoriasis among the elderly population and volume of specialized medical care provided to patients with psoriasis in the Russian Federation in 2010–2019

Background. Population ageing is ongoing in the Russian Federation. Demographic changes may influence the age structure and dynamics of epidemiological rates of chronic skin disorders, as well as the need of elderly patients in specialized medical care. Aims. To study the dynamics of number of cases, incidence and prevalence of psoriasis, and the dynamics of the number of hospital admissions for psoriasis among elderly population (males 60 years and older, females 55 years and older) in 20102019 in the Russian Federation. Materials and methods. Analysis of federal statistic surveillance data, psoriasis prevalence and incidence rates among different age groups of population. Results. In the Russian Federation there is an increase in absolute number of cases, prevalence and incidence rates of psoriasis among elderly population. There is an increase in the number of hospital admissions due to psoriasis among patients with psoriasis of this age. Conclusions. An increase of the number and proportion of cases of psoriasis among elderly population is due to both, an increase of prevalence and incidence rates in this age group and population ageing. There is a high need in specialized medical care among elderly population with psoriasis.