Oral IL-23 inhibitor icotrokinra shows efficacy for plaque psoriasis
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Key takeaways:
- 64.7% of patients treated with once-daily icotrokinra achieved IGA scores of 0 or 1 by week 16 vs. 8.3% treated with placebo.
- 49.6% of icotrokinra-treated patients reached PASI 90 vs. 4.4% of placebo.
New, positive topline data found icotrokinra to be effective for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in patients aged 12 years and older, Protagonist Therapeutics and Johnson & Johnson announced.
Formerly known as PN-235, icotrokinra (JNJ-2113; Protagonist Therapeutics, Johnson & Johnson) is a first-in-class targeted oral peptide that inhibits the interleukin-23 receptor. The drug has been tested for its efficacy in multiple trials, the most recent being the phase 3 investigational studies ICONIC-LEAD and ICONIC-TOTAL.
“These positive phase 3 results confirm the compelling efficacy and safety trends that were observed with the previous phase 2b FRONTIER-1 and -2 studies, highlighting icotrokinra’s potential as a best-in-class oral agent providing an ideal combination of significant skin clearance with demonstrated tolerability in a once-daily pill for treating plaque psoriasis,” Dinesh V. Patel, PhD, president and CEO of Protagonist, said in a press release.
In ICONIC-LEAD, 64.7% of patients treated with once-daily icotrokinra achieved IGA scores of 0 or 1 by week 16 vs. 8.3% treated with placebo. Similarly, nearly half (49.6%) of icotrokinra-treated patients reached PASI 90 vs. 4.4% of placebo by week 16.
By week 24, response rates increased with 74.1% and 64.9% of icotrokinra-treated patients reaching IGA 0 or 1 and PASI 90, respectively.
ICONIC-TOTAL also reportedly met the primary endpoint of IGA 0 or 1 at week 16 vs. placebo, according to the press release.
Safety findings were consistent with previous studies, including the phase 2 FRONTIER-1 and -2 trials. Treatment-emergent adverse events that occurred by week 16 were similar in both the icotrokinra and placebo groups (49.3% vs. 49.1%).
Reference:
- Icotrokinra delivered an industry-leading combination of significant skin clearance with demonstrated tolerability in a once daily pill in phase 3 topline results. https://www.jnj.com/media-center/press-releases/icotrokinra-delivered-an-industry-leading-combination-of-significant-skin-clearance-with-demonstrated-tolerability-in-a-once-daily-pill-in-phase-3-topline-results. Published Nov. 18, 2024. Accessed Nov. 20, 2024.