Interleukin-23 inhibitor guselkumab has been recommended for use by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a treatment for active psoriatic arthritis (PsA). 
 

Guselkumab – marketed by Janssen as Tremfya – is a fully human monoclonal antibody (mAb) designed to selectively bind to and inhibit the IL-23 receptor – a key driver of progression in PsA.
 

NICE has recommended the mAb for the treatment of moderate-to-severe PsA in eligible adults, including patients who have had an inadequate response to disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy or who cannot tolerate them.
 

The recommendation is based on positive results from two Phase III clinical trials – DISCOVER-1 and DISCOVER-2 – which evaluated the safety and efficacy of guselkumab in adults with active PsA. 


In both studies, guselkumab showed statistically significant benefits compared to placebo on disease activity, joint and skin symptoms, functional capacity and health-related quality of life. 


The final appraisal document for guselkumab in PsA will be used to form the basis of the final technology appraisal guidance issued to the NHS in England and Wales, which is expected to be published in this month. 
 

Previously, NICE recommended guselkumab for the treatment of eligible patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.