Investigational biologic displayed higher efficacy compared with Stelara in treating psoriasis

Phase 2 study results showed that the Boehringer Ingelheim’s investigational biologic compound BI 655066 had superior efficacy compared with Stelara in treating patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis after 9 months, according to a press release.

Researcher Kim A Papp, MD, PhD, reported at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology congress in Copenhagen, Denmark, that 69% of patients in the higher-dose group of BI 655066 maintained clear or almost clear skin (at least a 90% improvement in psoriasis as measured by the Psoriasis Area Severity Index [PASI 90]) compared with 30% of patients in the Stelara (ustekinumab, Janssen) treatment cohort, according to the release.

Kim A. Papp

Patients in the BI 655066 treatment arm also achieved skin clearance at approximately 8 weeks compared with 16 weeks in the ustekinumab treatment group, and for 2 months longer than the ustekinumab-treated patients, according to the release.

Forty-three percent of patients treated with BI 655066 maintained completely clear skin (PASI 100) after 9 months compared with 15% of patients treated with ustekinumab, the release reported.

“These results are striking,” Papp said in the release. “They further strengthen our understanding of the potential skin improvement that can be achieved with BI 655066, in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. We saw a third more patients achieve clearer skin in a short time period. And this clearance was maintained longer compared to the commonly used treatment ustekinumab.

The study compared efficacy and safety of BI 655066 and ustekinumab in 166 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, according to the release.

The study results build upon phase 2 data presented in March at the American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting.

Safety and tolerability were similar between the drugs, regardless of the dose, and no serious adverse effects were identified in the new data. Runny nose, sore throat and headache were common adverse effects.

Reference: www.boehringer-ingelheim.com