New Data on Bimekizumab’s Long-term HS Efficacy

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This week, the latest long-term data from the BE HEARD trials for bimekizumab (Bimzelx), presented by UCB, revealed the drug's remarkable durability and effectiveness in managing moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) over a 2-year period. These findings underscore the drug’s unique dual inhibition mechanism, offering patients a promising, long-term treatment option.¹

“For people living with HS, draining tunnels associated with moderate and severe disease can be incredibly distressing and painful – often derailing daily life,” said Professor Christos C. Zouboulis, president of the European Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation (EHSF) e.V., director of the departments of dermatology, venereology, allergology and immunology at Städtisches Klinikum Dessau, and founding professor of dermatology and venereology at the Brandenburg Medical School, Germany, in a news release. “These new, specific 2-year data demonstrate bimekizumab’s ability to provide sustained disease control, meaning a shift towards mild disease characterized by the absence of draining tunnels, offering hope for long-term disease management and reduced burden for HS patients.”

The study results showed that among patients who achieved a positive response to bimekizumab at 1 year, more than 85% maintained their response across multiple clinical endpoints at 2 years. Specifically, researchers stated that 90.0% of patients maintained HiSCR (Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response) 50, 86.9% maintained HiSCR75, and 86.0% continued to show improvement in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) minimal clinically important difference. The significant reduction in disease severity was further highlighted by the shift in IHS4 (International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity Score System) classifications, where the proportion of patients with severe disease dropped from 87.4% at baseline to just 20.4% at 2 years.

In a recent interview with Dermatology Times, Chris Sayed, MD, a professor of dermatology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and director of its HS clinic, said this about the drug: “Unlike other drugs, like TNF inhibitors, that often can wane over the course of a couple of years, it felt like many of the patients that responded, even partially in the beginning, seemed to continue to improve as more time passed.”²

Additionally, the study found the mean draining tunnel count declined substantially over the 2-year period, correlating with an overall improvement in health-related quality of life. This data not only reinforces the effectiveness of bimekizumab in reducing HS symptoms but also highlights its impact on patients' daily lives, providing hope for a future with better disease management.

“As the first presentation of bimekizumab data this year, we are thrilled it demonstrates the durability of response in HS treatment,” said Fiona du Monceau, executive vice president, head of patient evidence, UCB, in the release. “Sustained flare control, maintenance of response and improvement across multiple measures of disease severity through 2 years show how bimekizumab can transform outcomes for people living with HS. These data confirm our commitment to improving the lives of those living with HS, now and into the future.”

Further breakdown of the findings showcased the increasing benefits of bimekizumab. At week 96, 71.7% of patients achieved IHS4-75 (a 75% improvement in IHS4 total score from baseline), while 50.9% reached IHS4-90. Notably, 83.4% of patients remained flare-free at2 years, maintaining the low flare rates observed at week 48. The mean draining tunnel count significantly decreased from 3.8 at baseline to just 1.1 at week 96, emphasizing the treatment’s ability to control one of the most distressing symptoms of HS.

The data, presented at the 14th Conference of the European Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation in Vilnius, Lithuania, provide clinical evidence regarding bimekizumab’s long-term effects in HS treatment. By demonstrating its impact across multiple measures of disease severity and quality of life, this research adds to the growing body of evidence on HS treatment options.

References

1. Bimzelx (bimekizumab) two-year data at EHSF 2025 demonstrate sustained disease control in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). News release. UCB. Published February 12, 2025. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.ucb.com/newsroom/press-releases/article/bimzelxrvbimekizumab-two-year-data-at-ehsf-2025-demonstrate-sustained-disease-control-in-hidradenitis-suppurativa-hs
2. Hebebrand M, Sayed C. Advances in HS treatment with Chris Sayed, MD. News article. Dermatology Times. Published November 27, 2024. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/advances-in-hs-treatment-with-chris-sayed-md