Responsiveness of Serum C-Reactive Protein, Interleukin-17A, and Interleukin-17F Levels to Ustekinumab in Psoriatic Arthritis: Lessons From Two Phase III, Multicenter, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trials.

To evaluate the associations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and circulating Th17-associated cytokine levels with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) disease activity and therapeutic response to ustekinumab. Interleukin-17A (IL-17A), IL-17F, IL-23, and CRP concentrations were measured in serum samples collected as part of the 2 PSUMMIT phase III studies of ustekinumab in PsA (n = 927). In post hoc analyses, relationships of IL-17A, IL-17F, and CRP levels at baseline, week 4, and week 24 with baseline skin and joint disease activity and response to therapy were evaluated using generalized linear models and Pearson's product-moment correlation tests. Baseline serum levels of IL-17A and IL-17F were positively correlated with baseline skin disease scores (r = 0.39-0.62). IL-23 levels were correlated with skin disease scores to a lesser extent (r = 0.26-0.31). No significant correlations were observed between these cytokine or CRP levels and baseline joint disease activity. There was no significant association of baseline levels of IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-23, or CRP with therapeutic response to ustekinumab in either the skin or joints. Significant reductions from baseline in levels of IL-17A, IL-17F, and CRP were seen in patients treated with ustekinumab compared to those treated with placebo. Ustekinumab-treated patients in whom 75% improvement in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score or 20% improvement according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria was achieved after 24 weeks of treatment had greater reductions in CRP level (geometric mean decreases of 51-58% versus 32-33%; P < 0.05), but not IL-17A or IL-17F levels, than nonresponders. Baseline serum IL-23/IL-17 levels correlated with skin, but not joint, disease activity, suggesting tissue-specific variation. However, neither baseline Th17-associated cytokine levels nor CRP level were predictive of therapeutic response to ustekinumab in the skin or joints, despite rapid reductions in their levels following ustekinumab therapy.

Siebert S ，Sweet K ，Dasgupta B ，Campbell K ，McInnes IB ，Loza MJ ... -  《-》

Guselkumab induces robust reduction in acute phase proteins and type 17 effector cytokines in active psoriatic arthritis: results from phase 3 trials.

To investigate serum protein expression in participants with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and changes after guselkumab treatment. Participants with PsA were treated with guselkumab or placebo in the DISCOVER-1 and DISCOVER-2 studies. Serum levels of acute phase reactants C reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) and inflammatory cytokines/chemokines were measured at weeks 0, 4 and 24 in 300 study participants and 34 healthy controls (HCs). The PSUMMIT studies measured serum interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-17F and CRP after ustekinumab treatment and levels with ustekinumab versus guselkumab treatment were compared. Baseline serum levels of CRP, SAA, IL-6, IL-17A and IL-17F were elevated in participants with active PsA vs HCs (p<0.05, geometric mean (GM) ≥40% higher). Baseline T-helper cell 17 (Th17) effector cytokines were significantly associated with baseline psoriasis but not joint disease activity. Compared with placebo, guselkumab treatment resulted in decreases in serum CRP, SAA, IL-6, IL-17A, IL-17F and IL-22 as early as week 4 and continued to decrease through week 24 (p<0.05, GM decrease from baseline ≥33%). At week 24, IL-17A and IL-17F levels were not significantly different from HCs, suggesting normalisation of peripheral IL-23/Th17 axis effector cytokines postguselkumab treatment. Reductions in IL-17A/IL-17F levels were greater in guselkumab-treated versus ustekinumab-treated participants, whereas effects on CRP levels were similar. Guselkumab treatment reduced serum protein levels of acute phase and Th17 effector cytokines and achieved comparable levels to those in HCs. In participants with PsA, reductions of IL-17A and IL-17F were of greater magnitude after treatment with guselkumab than with ustekinumab.

Sweet K ，Song Q ，Loza MJ ，McInnes IB ，Ma K ，Leander K ，Lakshminarayanan V ，Franks C ，Cooper P ，Siebert S ... -  《-》

Effect of guselkumab on serum biomarkers in patients with active psoriatic arthritis and inadequate response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors: results from the COSMOS phase 3b study.

Guselkumab is a selective interleukin (IL)-23 inhibitor targeting the IL-23p19 subunit. In the phase 3b COSMOS trial, guselkumab demonstrated efficacy in treating participants with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and inadequate response (IR; lack of efficacy or intolerance) to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi). Adults with active PsA (≥ 3 swollen joints,  ≥ 3 tender joints) and IR to one or two TNFi (TNFi-IR) were randomized 2:1 to guselkumab at Weeks 0, 4, then every 8 weeks (Q8W) or placebo➔guselkumab Q8W at Week 24 with possible early escape at Week 16. Levels of serum cytokines, including interferon ɣ (IFNɣ), IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα); T helper 17 (Th17) effector cytokines IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-22; and acute phase proteins C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6, and serum amyloid A (SAA), were assessed and compared with matched healthy controls; guselkumab pharmacodynamics through Week 24 were also assessed. Associations between baseline biomarker levels and 1) baseline disease activity (28-joint disease activity score using CRP [DAS28-CRP], psoriasis area and severity index [PASI], and % body surface area [BSA] affected by psoriasis) and 2) clinical response (including  ≥ 20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology criteria [ACR20] response) at Week 24 were assessed. Baseline serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, TNFα, and IFNɣ were significantly higher in COSMOS TNFi-IR participants than in matched healthy controls. Baseline IL-6, CRP, and SAA levels were associated with baseline DAS28-CRP. IL-17A and IL-17F levels were associated with baseline PASI score and psoriasis BSA. Baseline swollen or tender joint counts did not associate with baseline biomarker levels. At Week 24, significant decreases from baseline in CRP, SAA, IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-22 levels were seen in guselkumab, but not placebo-, treated participants. IL-17F and IL-22 levels at Week 24 in guselkumab-treated participants did not significantly differ from those of matched healthy controls. Guselkumab-treated participants achieving ACR20 response at Week 24 exhibited higher baseline IL-22 and IFNɣ levels versus nonresponders. Results from COSMOS participants with active, TNFi-IR PsA suggest guselkumab reduces levels of effector cytokines associated with the IL-23/IL-17 pathway, including those associated with baseline arthritis and skin disease activity. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03796858.

Schett G ，Chen W ，Gao S ，Chakravarty SD ，Shawi M ，Lavie F ，Zimmermann M ，Sharaf M ，Coates LC ，Siebert S ... -  《-》

Dual IL-17A and IL-17F neutralisation by bimekizumab in psoriatic arthritis: evidence from preclinical experiments and a randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial that IL-17F contributes to human chronic tissue inflammation.

Interleukin (IL)-17A has emerged as pivotal in driving tissue pathology in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. The role of IL-17F, sharing 50% sequence homology and overlapping biological function, remains less clear. We hypothesised that IL-17F, together with IL-17A, contributes to chronic tissue inflammation, and that dual neutralisation may lead to more profound suppression of inflammation than inhibition of IL-17A alone. Preclinical experiments assessed the role of IL-17A and IL-17F in tissue inflammation using disease-relevant human cells. A placebo-controlled proof-of-concept (PoC) clinical trial randomised patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) to bimekizumab (n=39) or placebo (n=14). Safety, pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy of multiple doses (weeks 0, 3, 6 (240 mg/160 mg/160 mg; 80 mg/40 mg/40 mg; 160 mg/80 mg/80 mg and 560 mg/320 mg/320 mg)) of bimekizumab, a humanised monoclonal IgG1 antibody neutralising both IL-17A and IL-17F, were investigated. IL-17F induced qualitatively similar inflammatory responses to IL-17A in skin and joint cells. Neutralisation of IL-17A and IL-17F with bimekizumab more effectively suppressed in vitro cytokine responses and neutrophil chemotaxis than inhibition of IL-17A or IL-17F alone. The PoC trial met both prespecified efficacy success criteria and showed rapid, profound responses in both joint and skin (pooled top three doses vs placebo at week 8: American College of Rheumatology 20% response criteria 80.0% vs 16.7% (posterior probability >99%); Psoriasis Area and Severity Index 100% response criteria 86.7% vs 0%), sustained to week 20, without unexpected safety signals. These data support IL-17F as a key driver of human chronic tissue inflammation and the rationale for dual neutralisation of IL-17A and IL-17F in PsA and related conditions. NCT02141763; Results.

Glatt S ，Baeten D ，Baker T ，Griffiths M ，Ionescu L ，Lawson ADG ，Maroof A ，Oliver R ，Popa S ，Strimenopoulou F ，Vajjah P ，Watling MIL ，Yeremenko N ，Miossec P ，Shaw S ... -  《-》

Efficacy and safety of ustekinumab in psoriatic arthritis patients with peripheral arthritis and physician-reported spondylitis: post-hoc analyses from two phase III, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (PSUMMIT-1/PSUMMIT-2).

To evaluate ustekinumab efficacy and safety in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients with peripheral arthritis and physician-reported spondylitis (termed the 'spondylitis subset'). Adults with active PsA (PSUMMIT-1/PSUMMIT-2, n=615/312) were randomised to ustekinumab 45 mg, 90 mg or placebo at week 0/week 4/q12 week. At week 16, patients with <5% improvement in tender and swollen joints entered blinded early escape. A subset of patients with physician-identified spondylitis was evaluated with spondylitis-specific assessments, including Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score employing C reactive protein (ASDAS-CRP), through week 24. 256/927 (27.6%) PSUMMIT-1/PSUMMIT-2 patients (placebo/ustekinumab, n=92/164) comprised the evaluable spondylitis subset. At week 24, in this analysis subset, significantly more patients achieved BASDAI20/50/70 responses (54.8%/29.3%/15.3% vs 32.9%/11.4%/0%; p≤0.002), improvement in BASDAI question 2 concerning axial pain (1.85 vs 0.24; p<0.001) and mean per cent ASDAS-CRP improvements (27.8% vs 3.9%; p<0.001) for ustekinumab versus placebo recipients, respectively. Comparable to the overall study population, significant improvements were also achieved in psoriasis, peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, dactylitis, physical function and peripheral joint radiographs in the spondylitis subset. In this post-hoc analysis of PsA patients with baseline peripheral arthritis and physician-reported spondylitis, ustekinumab-treated patients demonstrated significant improvements in axial signs and symptoms through week 24. PSUMMIT-1 (NCT01009086, EudraCT 2009-012264-14) and PSUMMIT-2 (NCT01077362, EudraCT 2009-012265-60); post-study results.

Kavanaugh A ，Puig L ，Gottlieb AB ，Ritchlin C ，You Y ，Li S ，Song M ，Randazzo B ，Rahman P ，McInnes IB ... -  《-》