Ixekizumab treatment for psoriasis: integrated efficacy analysis of three double‐blinded, controlled studies (UNCOVER‐1, UNCOVER‐2, UNCOVER‐3)

• Published in: British journal of dermatology (1951) Vol. 178; no. 3; p. e242
• Main Authors: Papp, K.A., Leonardi, C.L., Blauvelt, A., Reich, K., Korman, N.J., Ohtsuki, M., Paul, C., Ball, S., Cameron, G.S., Erickson, J., Zhang, L., Mallbris, L., Griffiths, C.E.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01-03-2018
• Subjects: Etanercept; Monoclonal antibodies; Patients; Psoriasis; Skin diseases
• ISSN: 0007-0963; 1365-2133
• DOI: 10.1111/bjd.16395

Summary
Psoriasis is a disease that causes the skin to form thick scales that get red, itchy, and dry. About 2–4% of the Western population has psoriasis. We tested if ixekizumab, an approved psoriasis treatment, was better at improving psoriasis symptoms than placebo (a nonactive drug) or etanercept (another approved psoriasis treatment). Patients from 21 countries were included. We combined data from 3 different studies where patients were given 80 mg of ixkeizumab every 2 weeks, 80 mg of ixekizumab every 4 weeks, 50 mg of etanercept twice weekly (only in 2 studies), or placebo. Patients who were given ixekizumab started with a 160‐mg initial dose. We measured psoriasis improvement by the percentage of patients who were rated by their physician as having little or no psoriasis after 12 weeks of treatment [sPGA (0, 1)]. Patients who improved by 75% from their initial (baseline) psoriasis assessment [PASI 75] were also considered to have benefited from treatment. We found that ixekizumab treatment was better than placebo and etanercept when measured by the percentage of patients who had these results [sPGA 0, 1 and PASI 75]. Patients treated with ixekizumab started to do better than those treated with placebo or etanercept as early as Week 1. Patients had some side effects when taking etanercept or ixekizumab, but about 95% stayed in the study. Ixekizumab given every 2 weeks was better than ixekizumab given every 4 weeks during the first 12 weeks. Patients who take ixekizumab for their psoriasis are likely to have a good response.
Linked Article: Papp et al. Br J Dermatol 2018; 178:674–681