Tildrakizumab efficacy, drug survival, and safety are comparable in patients with psoriasis with and without metabolic syndrome: Long-term results from 2 phase 3 randomized controlled studies (reSURFACE 1 and reSURFACE 2)

Safety of tildrakizumab: a disproportionality analysis based on the FDA adverse event reporting system (FAERS) database from 2018-2023

Background: Tildrakizumab, the IL-23 inhibitor, is used to treat plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Many studies have reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with Tildrakizumab. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe ADRs associated with Tildrakizumab monotherapy by mining data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Methods: The signals of Tildrakizumab-associated ADRs were quantified using disproportionality analyses such as the reporting odds ratio (ROR), the proportional reporting ratio (PRR), the Bayesian confidence propagation neural network (BCPNN), and the multiitem gamma Poisson shrinker (MGPS) algorithms. Results: A total of 10,530,937 reports of ADRs were collected from the FAERS database, of which 1,177 reports were identified with tildrakizumab as the "primary suspect (PS)". Tildrakizumab-induced ADRs occurred against 27 system organ classes (SOCs). A total of 32 significant disproportionality Preferred Terms (PTs) conformed to the algorithms. Unexpected significant ADRs such as coronavirus infection, herpes simplex, diverticulitis, atrial fibrillation and aortic valve incompetence were also possible. The median time to onset of Tildrakizumab-associated ADRs was 194 days (interquartile range [IQR] 84-329 days), with the majority occurring, within the first 1 and 3 months after initiation of Tildrakizumab. Conclusion: This study identified a potential signal for new ADRs with Tildrakizumab, which might provide important support for clinical monitoring and risk prediction.

Guselkumab in Patients with Scalp Psoriasis: A post hoc Analysis of the VOYAGE 2 Phase III Randomized Clinical Trial

Scalp psoriasis affects approximately 80% of patients with psoriasis and can negatively impact their quality of life. This post hoc analysis of the VOYAGE 2 Phase III randomized clinical trial evaluated scalp response to guselkumab treatment and its association with skin response and patient-reported outcomes. The study included patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and baseline scalp psoriasis who were initially randomized to receive guselkumab. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on their achievement of a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index 90 response at week 28: responder continuation, non-responder continuation and responder withdrawal. In all 3 groups, mean Psoriasis Area and Severity Index head and scalp-specific Investigator's Global Assessment scores improved through week 28. In the responder withdrawal group, these scores worsened after treatment withdrawal at week 28, but remained stable through week 48 in both continuation groups. Trends in Dermatology Life Quality Index and Psoriasis Symptoms and Signs Diary itch scores mirrored those of mean scalp-specific Investigator's Global Assessment scores through week 48. Within-subject correlations were 0.83 between scalp-specific Investigator's Global Assessment and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index head scores and 0.78 between scalp-specific Investigator's Global Assessment and Psoriasis Symptoms and Signs Diary itch scores. Through week 252, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index head scores remained stable in the responder continuation group, improved in the non-responder continuation group and rapidly improved by week 84 in the responder withdrawal group after retreatment.

Biomarkers and biologics related with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

Over the past half century, psoriasis is considered as an immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease with the combined hallmarks of autoimmunity and autoinflammation, according to growing volumes of clinical and experimental findings. There is currently no cure for psoriasis, current treatment strategies focus on symptom control, disease minimization, and patient's quality of life enhancement. To meet these challenges, it keeps imperative to discover potential biomarkers, so that not only can they be used for the prediction and monitoring of psoriasis disease in clinic, but also can provide novel therapeutic targets or treatment strategies for psoriasis sufferers. This review systematically demonstrates the research progress of psoriasis-related biomarkers and elaborates their related mechanisms in the pathological development of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. In addition, we summarize the development of biologic therapies for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in order to drive the broader discussion of psoriasis as an autoimmune-mediated inflammatory skin disease.

Real-life effectiveness of tildrakizumab in chronic plaque psoriasis: A 52-week multicentre retrospective study-IL PSO (Italian landscape psoriasis)

BACKGROUND

Tildrakizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds selectively the p19 subunit of interleukin-23. It is approved for treatment of moderate-severe chronic plaque psoriasis.

OBJECTIVES

We conducted a 52-week retrospective study to assess the effectiveness and safety of tildrakizumab in a real-life setting.

METHODS

Our retrospective study included 237 consecutive adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, enrolled in 10 different Italian centres, treated with tildrakizumab up to Week 52. Patient characteristics, comorbidities, previous treatments and the PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) score at each visit (baseline, Week 16, Week 28 and Week 52) were retrieved from the electronic medical records. The percentages of patients achieving 75%, 90% and 100% (PASI 75, PASI 90 and PASI 100) improvement in PASI with respect to baseline PASI were registered.

RESULTS

At Week 52, 90.91%, 73.55% and 58.68% of patients achieved a PASI reduction ≥75% (PASI 75), PASI 90 and PASI 100, respectively. An absolute PASI ≤ 2 was reached by 85.95% at Week 52. Compared with Phase 3 clinical trials, we observed similar rates of PASI 75/90 responses and higher percentages of patients achieving PASI 100. Patients who had not responded to previous biologic treatments and patients with cardio-metabolic comorbidities were significantly more likely to achieve PASI 100 at Week 28 and PASI 90 at Week 52. The higher body mass index did not interfere with the odds of reaching PASI 75/90/100 at each time point. No significant safety findings were recorded throughout the study, and none of the patients had to interrupt the treatment because of adverse events.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that the efficacy of tildrakizumab for plaque psoriasis in 'real-life' clinical practice is comparable with Phase 3 clinical trials with higher percentages of patients achieving complete skin clearance (PASI 100) at Weeks 16, 28 and 52.

Real-Life Effectiveness and Safety of Risankizumab in 131 Patients Affected by Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis: A 52-Week Retrospective Study

Introduction

Risankizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively targets interleukin-23. It is approved for treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. We conducted a 52-week monocentric retrospective study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of risankizumab in a real-life setting.

Methods

Our study included 131 adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis all treated with risankizumab for at least 52 weeks. Patient characteristics and PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) at each visit were recorded. The percentages of patients achieving 75%/90%/100% (PASI 75/90/100) improvement in PASI with respect to baseline were registered.

Results

At week 52, 93.9%, 78.6%, and 61.1% of patients achieved PASI 75/90/100, respectively. An absolute PASI ≤ 2 was reached by 90.8% at week 52. The higher body mass index and the presence of cardio-metabolic comorbidities did not interfere with the odds of reaching PASI 75/90/100 at each time-point. At week 52, comparable percentages of patients achieved PASI 100, regardless of the involvement of difficult-to-treat-areas. No significant safety findings were recorded and none of the patients had to interrupt the treatment because of adverse events.

Conclusions

Our findings confirmed that risankizumab is a safe and effective therapeutic option for the treatment of a wide “real-life” cohort of patients with psoriasis.

Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Psoriasis Treatments in Patients with Concomitant Metabolic Syndrome: A Narrative Review

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is well recognized as a frequent comorbidity of psoriasis with important implications for efficacy and safety of psoriasis treatment. The presence of concomitant MetS is associated with decreased efficacy response to biologic treatment for psoriasis in observational studies. In post hoc analyses of clinical trial data, the anti–IL-23p19 antibody tildrakizumab appears to maintain efficacy in patients compared to those without MetS; no published subgroup analyses by MetS status are yet available for other biologics. However, there is some evidence that obese patients have decreased psoriasis treatment efficacy with biologics with certain mechanisms of action relative to overweight patients. This confounds interpretation of the effect of MetS due to the association between MetS and body weight. Because of the association between MetS and cardiovascular risk, treatment of psoriasis in patients with concomitant MetS requires special consideration for cardiovascular safety and attention to potential for exacerbation of MetS and related conditions, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Additional studies are needed to clarify the risks for treatment failure and cardiovascular safety concerns in patients with psoriasis and concomitant MetS.

Endothelial Dysfunction in Psoriasis: An Updated Review

Although psoriasis is predominantly a chronic inflammatory skin disorder, epidemiological data provide a solid link between psoriasis, especially in its more severe forms, and increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Apart from the increased prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, chronic inflammation appears to act synergistically with the underlying process of endothelial dysfunction toward the development of accelerated atherosclerosis, subclinical vascular injury and subsequently, clinically evident cardiovascular manifestations. Endothelial dysfunction is regarded as an early precursor of atherosclerosis with a predictive value for the development of future cardiovascular events. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction in psoriasis might pave the path for the development of more accurate cardiovascular risk prediction tools and possible therapeutic targets aiming to alleviate the increased cardiovascular burden associated with the disease. The present review summarizes the available evidence about the role of chronic inflammation and other important pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the development of endothelial dysfunction in psoriasis. An overview of studies implementing the most widely applied circulating and vascular biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction in psoriasis patients will be provided, and the impact of systemic psoriasis treatments on endothelial dysfunction and patients’ cardiovascular risk will be discussed.

Tildrakizumab efficacy and safety in patients with psoriasis and concomitant metabolic syndrome: post hoc analysis of 5-year data from reSURFACE 1 and reSURFACE 2

BACKGROUND

Limited data are available on long-term efficacy and safety of biologics in patients with psoriasis and metabolic syndrome (MetS), a common comorbidity.

OBJECTIVES

This analysis updates tildrakizumab efficacy and safety for up to 5 years in patients with and without MetS.

METHODS

This was a post hoc analysis of the double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 reSURFACE 1 (NCT01722331) and reSURFACE 2 (NCT01729754) trials in adult patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Analyses included data through Week 244 from patients who continuously received tildrakizumab 100 (TIL100) or 200 mg (TIL200) and entered the extension studies, stratified by baseline MetS status. Efficacy was assessed via Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores. Safety was evaluated from exposure-adjusted incidence rates (EAIRs) of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs).

RESULTS

reSURFACE 1 and reSURFACE 2 analyses included 26 and 44 TIL100-treated patients with MetS, 98 and 167 TIL100-treated patients without MetS, 34 and 30 TIL200-treated patients with MetS, and 111 and 130 TIL200-treated patients without MetS, respectively. There were no clinically relevant differences in PASI 75/90/100 response rates at Week 244 between patients with vs without MetS. The proportion of patients with vs without MetS achieving absolute PASI score <3 at Week 244 was 53.8% vs 69.4% and 77.3% vs 80.8% in reSURFACE 1 and 2, respectively, for TIL100-treated patients and 58.8% vs 72.1% and 63.3% vs 72.3%, respectively, for TIL200-treated patients. In both studies, median reduction from baseline PASI score at all time points in patients with vs without MetS was >83% vs >89% for TIL100 and >85% vs >90% for TIL200. Pooled EAIRs of TEAEs, serious TEAEs, and TEAEs of special interest were similar in patients with and without MetS.

CONCLUSIONS

Tildrakizumab maintains efficacy and a favorable safety profile over 5 years in patients with psoriasis regardless of MetS status.

Comorbid obesity and history of diabetes are independently associated with poorer treatment response to biologics at 6 months: A prospective analysis in Corrona Psoriasis Registry

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is associated with comorbid systemic metabolic disease.

OBJECTIVE

To assess possible associations of comorbid obesity, history of diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia with response to biologic treatment at 6 months among patients in CorEvitas' Psoriasis Registry.

METHODS

Participants included 2924 patients initiating biologic therapy (tumour necrosis factor inhibitors [TNFi], interleukin [IL]-17i, IL-12/23i, or IL-23i) with baseline and 6-month follow-up visits available. Logistic regressions resulted in adjusted odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for achievement of response in select outcomes for those with obesity and history of diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia relative to those without each.

RESULTS

Overall, obesity reduced by 25% to 30% odds of achieving PASI75 (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.64-0.88) and PASI90 (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.59-0.81). History of diabetes reduced odds of achieving PASI75 by 31% (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.56-0.85) and PASI90 by 21% (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.98). Obesity was associated with lower response to TNFi and IL-17i classes. Independent of obesity, diabetes was associated with poorer outcomes when on IL-17i therapy and hypertension, to a lesser extent, when on the TNFi class. No significant associations were found in the hyperlipidemia group.

LIMITATIONS

The study assessed only short-term effectiveness and small sample sizes limited the power to detect differences.

CONCLUSION

Assessment of comorbid disease burden is important for improved likelihoods of achieving treatment response with biologics.

Tildrakizumab for treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis: an expert opinion of efficacy, safety, and use in special populations

INTRODUCTION

Tildrakizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets the p19 subunit of IL-23, a crucial cytokine for Th17 cells. Tildrakizumab has been assessed in several Phase I, II, and III clinical trials and is approved for treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are indicated for systemic therapy.

AREAS COVERED

The available evidence on the efficacy, safety, and use of tildrakizumab in special populations was evaluated by 14 experts who critically reviewed the current literature.

EXPERT OPINION

Tildrakizumab has good efficacy that lasts for at least 5 years in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, and appears to be safe and well tolerated in the long-term with no apparent dose-related differences in adverse events, a low incidence of discontinuation due to adverse events, and no evidence of increased risk of malignancies. The safety and the efficacy of tildrakizumab has also been confirmed in special populations such as those with inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and advanced age. Early intervention with IL-23-inhibitors, such as tildrakizumab, may help to control symptoms and change the long-term course of the disease in patients affected by plaque psoriasis, while improving the quality of life and potentially minimizing the risk of developing comorbidities.