Bimekizumab Long-Term Skin Clearance Data for Plaque Psoriasis Presented at AAD 2022

UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company, announced recently at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting, held March 25 to 29, in Boston, Massachusetts, the presentation of 11 abstracts on bimekizumab (Bimzelx, UCB) for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. This included a late breaking oral platform presentation and 10 posters.¹

“We are pleased to share our latest long-term data on bimekizumab with the dermatology community at the 2022 AAD Annual Meeting,” said Emmanuel Caeymaex, executive vice president, immunology solutions and UCB head of United States. “The wealth of new data, insights, and progress being presented underlines our commitment to advances in psoriasis care for people living with this challenging, life-long condition.”

Bimekizumab is investigational and not FDA approved. The European Union and Great Britain have approved the drug for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are also candidates for systemic therapy, according to the press release.

The platform presentation detailed new analysis of pooled data from 5 bimekizumab phase 3/3b clinical trials, which highlighted that over 80% of patients who achieved complete skin clearance (psoriasis area and severity index [PASI 100]) at week 16, and entered the open-label extension studies, maintained clearance through 2 years, with no new safety signals.

In the poster presentations, new data from the open-label extension period of the phase 3b BE RADIANT (NCT03536884) study showed clinical responses (PASI 100 and absolute PASI, PASI ≤2) achieved at 48 weeks continued through week 96 in patients treated with only bimekizumab treatment and those who switched from secukinumab (Cosentyx, Novartis) to bimekizumab on entry to the extension period.

Additionally, UCB reported that patients who PASI 90 non-responders on secukinumab at 48 weeks achieved improved clinical responses (PASI 90, PASI 100) after switching to bimekizumab during the open-label extension. PASI 90 responders on secukinumab at week 48 had a maintained and PASI 100 response when switched to bimekizumab during this time.

“Long-term complete skin clearance is an important goal for people with psoriasis, and the new 96-week data from the open-label extension period of the BE RADIANT study offer fresh insights on the sustained response and clinical potential of bimekizumab in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis,” said Bruce Strober, MD, PhD, clinical professor, Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, and Central Connecticut Dermatology Research, in Cromwell, in the release. “In addition, the improved clinical responses seen in patients who switched to bimekizumab after 48 weeks of treatment with secukinumab offer further new insights that should help to inform future clinical practice.”

Reference:

1. New long-term complete skin clearance data for bimekizumab in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis presented at the 2022 aad annual meeting. Cision PR Newswire. Press release. Published March 26, 2022. Accessed March 28, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-long-term-complete-skin-clearance-data-for-bimekizumab-in-moderate-to-severe-plaque-psoriasis-presented-at-the-2022-aad-annual-meeting-301511196.html