IMMerge phase IIIb data shows superior rates of skin clearance for Skyrizi in psoriasis.- AbbVie

AbbVie announced new late-breaking IMMerge Phase IIIb open-label study head-to-head data showing superior rates of skin clearance for Skyrizi (risankizumab)to Cosentyx (secukinumab) at week 52 in psoriasis. Particularly, 66 percent of psoriasis patients receiving risankizumab achieved completely clear skin (PASI100 in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) versus 40 percent of patients receiving secukinumab at week 52 (p<0.001). Risankizumab met both PASI90 primary endpoints of non-inferiority to secukinumab at week 16 and superiority to secukinumab at week 52. At week 16, 74 percent of risankizumab-treated patients achieved PASI90 compared to 66 percent of secukinumab-treated patients. Of patients treated with risankizumab, 87 percent achieved PASI90 at week 52 compared to 57 percent of patients treated with secukinumab (p<0.001).

Additional results demonstrated a significantly higher proportion of patients treated with risankizumab achieved a static Physician Global Assessment (sPGA) score of clear or almost clear (sPGA 0/1) compared to those treated with secukinumab at week 52 (88 percent versus 58 percent, respectively, p<0.001). Current safety data available demonstrated that the safety profile of risankizumab was consistent with that seen in previously reported studies, with no new safety signals observed through week 52.

The rates of adverse events (AEs) were comparable between risankizumab and secukinumab. The most common AEs were nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, arthralgia and diarrhoea. The rates of serious AEs were 5.5 percent in the risankizumab group and 3.7 percent in the secukinumab group. Adverse events leading to discontinuation of the study drug were 1.2 percent in the risankizumab group and 4.9 percent in the secukinumab group. There were no deaths in either treatment group. These new head-to-head results from the IMMerge Phase IIIb open-label study were shared during an online late-breaking presentation by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).