11 Mar Taltz Demonstrates Improved Clearing of Psoriasis Compared to Stelara

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Prof. Dr. med. Kristian Reich
Dermatologie, Allergologie
Psoriasis- und Neurodermitis-Trainer
Hamburg

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: The IXORA-S study compared the efficacy and safety of Taltz® (ixekizumab) and Stelara®* (ustekinumab) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis at 24 weeks.

In this study, patients were randomized to receive either Stelara (45 mg or 90 mg weight-based dosing per label) or Taltz (80 mg every two weeks followed by 80 mg every four weeks), following an initial starting dose of 160 mg. At 24 weeks, patients treated with Taltz achieved significantly higher response rates compared to patients treated with Stelara, including 83 percent of patients who achieved Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) 90—the study’s primary endpoint—compared to 59 percent of patients who achieved PASI 90 after treatment with Stelara.

Results at 24 weeks also found:
• 91.2 percent of patients treated with Taltz achieved PASI 75 compared to 81.9 percent of patients treated with Stelara (p=0.015)
• 49.3 percent of patients treated with Taltz achieved PASI 100 compared to 23.5 percent of patients treated with Stelara (p=0.001)
• 86.6 percent of patients treated with Taltz achieve static Physician’s Global Assessment score (sPGA) 0 or 1 compared to 69.3 percent of patients treated with Stelara (p<0.001)

The majority of treatment-emergent adverse events were mild or moderate. There were no statistically significant differences between treatment groups in overall treatment-emergent adverse events. The safety profile for Taltz was consistent with previous clinical trials.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: For many years, treatments that helped patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis achieve PASI 75 were considered the standard of care among dermatologists. The results of this study are clinically relevant as they demonstrated not only high levels of skin clearance for Taltz—up to 90 to 100 percent improvement—but also showed significantly higher response rates compared to Stelara, one of the most frequently used biologics for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

In previous UNCOVER studies, patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who did not respond to treatment with etanercept achieved significant improvement in their psoriasis plaques when treated with Taltz. The results from the IXORA-S study offer additional evidence for Taltz demonstrating significantly higher rates of skin improvement when compared to another biologic; an important consideration for dermatologists evaluating treatment options for their patients.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: Despite the availability of existing treatment options, there are still many people living with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who have not responded to previous treatments and are still looking for an alternative treatment option. This data demonstrates the importance of studies that directly compare the efficacy and safety of available treatments, including those therapies that can provide virtually clear or completely clear skin (PASI 90 or PASI 100, respectively). Results from this type of research are important to help inform dermatologists about treatments that may provide a new option for their patients.

MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.

Citation:

Abstract #517 Presented at the 2017 American Academy of Dermatology
Efficacy and Safety of Ixekizumab Compared to Ustekinumab after 24 Weeks of Treatment in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis: Results from IXORA-S, a Randomized Head-to-Head Trial
o Presenter: Kristian Reich, M.D., Ph.D., Georg-August-University Göttingen and Dermatologikum Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.

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Last Updated on March 11, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD