In a significant development for patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), the dual interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-17F inhibitor, bimekizumab has shown remarkable effectiveness in reducing disease impact over one year, according to recent results from two phase 3 studies. These findings, drawn from the BE OPTIMAL and BE COMPLETE trials, highlight the potential for bimekizumab to transform the treatment landscape for PsA,
The study published in Oxford academic included two trials involving 1,112 patients, with 698 receiving bimekizumab and 414 placed on a placebo. BE OPTIMAL included biologic DMARD (bDMARD)-naïve patients, while BE COMPLETE focused on those with an inadequate response to or intolerance of TNF inhibitors (TNFi-IR). Post-hoc analyses of patient-reported disease impact using the PsAID-12 questionnaire revealed that patients receiving bimekizumab experienced rapid improvements as early as week 4. These improvements continued through week 16 and were sustained for up to a year. The mean change from baseline in PsAID-12 scores was similar between patients initially randomized to bimekizumab and those who switched from placebo to the drug at week 16.
By one year, nearly half of the patients treated with bimekizumab reported clinically meaningful improvements—a reduction of 3 points or more from baseline in their PsAID-12 scores. These improvements were also observed in patients who switched from placebo to bimekizumab, indicating the treatment’s consistent effectiveness across both study groups. In addition to the overall disease impact, improvements were noted in all single-item domains of the PsAID-12, including pain, fatigue, and skin symptoms. Across both studies, 35.3% to 47.8% of patients reported minimal or no impact from their PsA symptoms after one year of treatment.
Interleukin (IL)-17A is a key mediator of inflammation and the primary target of anti-IL-17 monoclonal antibody therapies. Both IL-17A and its structurally related counterpart, IL-17F, are known to be functionally dysregulated in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and axial spondyloarthritis. Bimekizumab is a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody specifically targeting the cytokines interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-17F, and IL-17AF. By binding to these cytokines, bimekizumab blocks their interaction with the IL-17RA/IL-17RC receptor complex, effectively reducing inflammation. Bimekizumab represents a major advancement in psoriasis treatment as the first approved therapy to selectively inhibit both IL-17A and IL-17F, two key cytokines driving the inflammatory processes in the disease.
The findings highlighted the broad and sustained efficacy of bimekizumab for PsA patients, including those who were biologic DMARD-naïve and those with prior inadequate response to TNF inhibitors. The drug’s dual inhibition of IL-17A and IL-17F appeared to provide a consistent response in reducing the disease’s impact on patient lives. In conclusion, the one-year data from these trials underscored the potential of bimekizumab as a powerful treatment for PsA, offering rapid and sustained relief from the debilitating effects of the disease. Further long-term studies and real-world data are anticipated to confirm these promising results, paving the way for wider use of bimekizumab in PsA management.
References
- Gossec L, Orbai AM, de Wit M, Coates LC, Ogdie A, Ink B, et al. Effect of bimekizumab on patient-reported disease impact in patients with psoriatic arthritis: 1-year results from two phase 3 studies. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2024 Sep 1;63(9):2399-2410.
- Adams R, Maroof A, Baker T, Lawson ADG, Oliver R, Paveley R, et al. Bimekizumab, a Novel Humanized IgG1 Antibody That Neutralizes Both IL-17A and IL-17F. Front Immunol. 2020 Aug 21;11:1894.