Late-stage data shows more than 50% of patients achieved complete skin clearance through two years of treatment

Data from a long-term Phase III study of guselkumab showed skin clearance and joint symptom relief continued through two years in adults with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). 

The findings, presented virtually at the Innovation in Dermatology: Virtual Spring Conference, showed that at week 100, 59% of patients who had clinically meaningful skin involvement at baseline achieved complete skin clearance after treatment with guselkumab every four weeks. 

In addition, 53% of patients receiving guselkumab every eight weeks achieved complete skin clearance at week 100. 

On a measure of joint symptom improvement, 76% of patients receiving the four-week guselkumab treatment regimen and 74% on the eight-week regimen achieved at least 20% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR 20) response criteria. 

For radiographic progression, guselkumab administered every four weeks demonstrated statistically significant inhibition of radiographic progression of joint structural damage. 

The eight-week treatment regimen led to numerically, although not statistically significant, less radiographic progression compared with placebo. 

Finally, joint and skin response rates as well as mean improvements from baseline in outcome measure were also maintained through two years. 

No new safety signals were observed in the safety analysis conducted through week 112 of the study. 

"PsA can be a chronically painful and debilitating disease, and many PsA patients are still searching for enduring relief of their symptoms," said Philip Mease, of the Swedish Medical Center/Providence St. Joseph Health and the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington and presenting author. 

"These data, which show that the observed benefits of [guselkumab] in PsA continue through two years, represent positive news for physicians and patients alike,” he added. 

Guselkumab, marketed as Tremfya by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, is approved in the US for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and for adults with active PsA.