Absolute PASI thresholds maintained after certolizumab pegol for plaque psoriasis

Patients dosed with certolizumab pegol for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis achieved and maintained absolute Psoriasis Area and Severity Index thresholds, according to an analysis at the American Academy of Dermatology virtual meeting.

“Certolizumab pegol is an Fc-free, PEGylated anti-tumor necrosis factor that has demonstrated efficacy and safety in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis,” Alice B. Gottlieb, MD, PhD, of the department of dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and colleagues wrote. “Absolute PASI 5 has been associated with good quality of life in patients with [plaque psoriasis]; a score of PASI 3 is considered excellent.”

To assess the long-term maintenance of an absolute PASI score, data from patients enrolled in identical certolizumab pegol trials were analyzed. Patients were randomly assigned to receive certolizumab pegol 200 mg, certolizumab pegol 400 mg or placebo every 2 weeks. Placebo patients who had a < PASI 50 response at week 16 entered an escape arm, receiving certolizumab pegol 400 mg every 2 weeks.

Patients initially in the certolizumab pegol cohort demonstrated a rapid response that was maintained through week 48; improvements to absolute PASI were maintained to week 144 in the 200 mg group. Response rates decreased after dose reduction in the 400 mg group in the open-label extension portion of the study. Two-thirds of patients initially treated with placebo reached PASI 2 and three-quarters reached PASI 3 32 weeks after entering the escape arm of the study. Response rates were maintained through study week 144.

“High proportions of patients dosed with both [certolizumab pegol] 400 mg Q2W and [certolizumab pegol] 200 mg Q2W achieved and maintained stringent absolute PASI thresholds,” the authors wrote.