Study Compares Quality of Life Improvements in Secukinumab Versus Ustekinumab

New data from a head-to-head clinical trial found that secukinumab (Cosentyx, Novartis) demonstrated superior improvements in quality of life (QoL) compared with ustekinumab (Stelara, Janssen) in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis.

Secukinumab, which is currently approved for the treatment of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis, is the first and only fully-human biologic that specifically inhibits interleukin-17A, according to Novartis.

Previous data from the study showed that secukinumab was significantly more effective than ustekinumab in delivering clear and almost clear skin at 12 and 16 weeks. According to the latest findings, secukinumab also beats ustekinumab in QoL improvement aspects in the majority of patients treated.

The 52-week CLARITY trial evaluated the superiority of secukinumab 300 mg versus ustekinumab in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. For the study, patients were randomized to receive either subcutaneous secukinumab at baseline, weeks 1, 2, and 3, then every 4 weeks from week 4 to 48, or ustekinumab 45 mg or 90 mg subcutaneously.

According to the data, the proportion of patients achieving Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) 0 or 1 response showed a superior improvement with secukinumab over ustekinumab. DLQI 0 or 1 response was higher when patients were treated with secukinumab versus ustekinumab at week 12 (64.0% versus 51.7%) and at week 16 (68.4% versus 55.9%), according to the study.

“Over two-thirds of psoriasis patients experience persistent manifestations beyond skin plaques including nail, scalp, palmoplantar psoriasis, as well as joints involvement,” Sam Khalil, worldwide head of Medical Affairs Immunology, Hepatology, and Dermatology, said in a statement. “Our goal is to provide a treatment that targets all these manifestations and improves the quality of life of patients suffering from psoriatic diseases, with a proven long-term safety and efficacy.”

These results build on findings from the SCULPTURE study published in 2018. In the SCULPTURE study, two-thirds of patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis treated with secukinumab reported no impact of skin disease on their QoL through 5 years.

A previous analysis of 4 phase 3 clinical trials (ERASURE, FIXTURE, FEATURE, and JUNCTURE) also showed QoL improvements in patients treated with secukinumab compared with placebo based on problems with mobility, self-care, or usual activities.

The latest data from the CLARITY study were presented at the 2019 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

Reference

Novartis Cosentyx shows superior improvements in psoriasis patients’ quality of life versus Janssen’s IL-23 Stelara [news release]. Novartis. https://www.novartis.com/news/media-releases/novartis-cosentyx-shows-superior-improvements-psoriasis-patients-quality-life-versus-janssens-il-23-stelara. Accessed March 13, 2019.