Secukinumab may significantly alleviate symptoms of psoriatic arthritis, finds research
Researchers have found that a dose of 300 mg of secukinumab can significantly alleviate symptoms of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) compared to placebo, according to a new study published in Rheumatology and Therapy. The study demonstrates that secukinumab provides better clinical outcomes for patients with PsA. This study was condiucted by Alan J. Kivitz, MD, from the Altoona Center for Clinical Research/Altoona Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center and colleagues.
Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease linked to reduced quality of life, physical function, and work productivity. Prior research has indicated that secukinumab, a selective inhibitor of interleukin 17A, improves PsA symptoms and has a favorable safety profile. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of secukinumab versus placebo in US patients with challenging-to-treat PsA.
The study pooled data from phase 3 FUTURE 2-5 trials, excluding FUTURE 1 due to its use of an intravenous loading dose not approved by regulatory agencies. A total of 2,147 patients were randomized in the trials, but the current analysis focused on 279 US patients who had harder-to-treat PsA. Participants received secukinumab 300 mg, secukinumab 150 mg with or without a loading dose, or placebo.
The key findings of the study were as follows:
• Patients on secukinumab 300 mg showed significantly greater ACR20 response rates (59.7%; P < .0001) at week 16 compared to placebo.
• Secukinumab 150 mg with a loading dose also demonstrated higher response rates (43.4%; P < .0001).
• Patients receiving secukinumab 300 mg experienced greater improvements in PASI75/90/100 scores, indicating a reduction in psoriasis severity.
• The safety profile of secukinumab was comparable to placebo, with similar rates of treatment-emergent adverse events across all groups.
• Patients on all doses of secukinumab showed significant improvement in health-related quality of life and reduced nail disease.
The study found that secukinumab, particularly at a dose of 300 mg, is effective in rapidly improving disease activity and quality of life for patients with PsA. The loading-dose regimen for secukinumab 150 mg also appears to be beneficial. Researchers emphasized the importance of optimal dosing to achieve the best outcomes in PsA treatment. The researchers acknowledged limitations such as not adjusting for logistic regression analyses, nominal P values, and variability in baseline scores. Further studies may be needed to address these limitations.
Reference:
Kivitz AJ, Kremer JM, Legerton CW 3rd, Pricop L, Singhal A. Efficacy and Safety of Secukinumab in US Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis: A Subgroup Analysis of the Phase 3 FUTURE Studies. Rheumatol Ther. Published online April 16, 2024. doi:10.1007/s40744-024-00666-1
