Trending News Today: Second Phase 3 Study Shows Positive Results for Bimekizumab in Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis

The phase 3 BE READY study evaluating bimekizumab, an investigational dual inhibitor, for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis met its co-primary endpoints, The American Journal of Managed Care reported. According to the article, bimekizumab demonstrated at least 90% improvement in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and Investigator Global Assessment response of clear or almost clear at week 16, compared with placebo. The results also showed that bimekizumab was statistically superior to placebo on key secondary endpoints, including total skin clearance at week 16, and in patient-reported reductions in itch, pain, scaling, and clear or nearly clear scalp at week 16, the article reported.

A new study shows that the severity of disease burden and hospitalization from an influenza season does not directly affect the rate of vaccinations, MD Magazine reported. According to the article, the researchers used publicly-available CDC data from the 2010-2017 flu season to assess for flu vaccination rates, flu severity designation rates per pediatric patients, and vaccine effectiveness. Although recent general trends showed a significantly increased rate of vaccination over time, all pediatric and adolescent age groups reported decreased rates and the current flu season was not found to be associated with vaccination rates, the article reported.

A recent review indicates that diets with more fiber and yogurt may be tied to a lower risk of developing lung cancer compared with diets that do not contain these foods, Reuters reported. According to the article, the researchers examined pooled data from 10 previous studies that included approximately 1.45 million adults in Asia, Europe, and the United States and followed individuals for an average of 8.6 years. Overall, individuals with the highest fiber intake and highest yogurt consumption were 33% less likely than those with the lowest consumption of both to develop lung cancer, the article reported.