Certolizumab pegol is effective for chronic plaque psoriasis across patient subgroups: a pooled analysis from ongoing, Phase III studies (CIMPASI-1 and CIMPASI-2)

Certolizumab pegol is effective for chronic plaque psoriasis across patient subgroups: a pooled analysis from ongoing, Phase III studies (CIMPASI-1 and CIMPASI-2)

Presenters: Reich K¹, Blauvelt A², Thaçi D³, Leonardi C⁴, Poulin Y⁵, Burge D⁶, Peterson L⁷, Drew J⁶, Arendt C⁸, Gottlieb AB⁹

Affiliations: ¹Dermatologikum Hamburg and SCIderm Research Institute, Hamburg, Germany; ²Oregon Medical Research Center, Portland, OR; ³University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany; ⁴Central Dermatology and Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; ⁵Centre de Recherche Dermatologique du Québec Métropolitain, Québec, Canada; ⁶Dermira, Inc., Menlo Park, CA; ⁷UCB Pharma, Raleigh, NC; ⁸UCB Pharma, Brussels, Belgium; ⁹New York Medical College at Metropolitan Hospital, New York, NY

Background/Objective: CIMPASI-1 (NCT02326298) and CIMPASI-2 (NCT02326272) are ongoing Phase III trials of certolizumab pegol (CZP) in adults with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis. This prespecified, pooled subgroup analysis is assessing efficacy of CZP to Week 48 across demographic and baseline disease characteristic subgroups.

Methods: Patients are at least 18 years old with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis for at least six months (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index [PASI] ?12, Body Surface Area Affected [BSA] ?10%, Physician’s Global Assessment [PGA] ?3 on a 5-point scale), had no prior exposure to CZP or less than two biologics, and were candidates for systemic psoriasis therapy. The coprimary endpoints were PASI 75 (?75% reduction in PASI) and PGA 0/1 (clear/almost clear with ?2 category improvement in PGA) at Week 16. Subgroup analyses based on age, sex, weight, body mass index (BMI), duration of psoriasis, baseline PASI, and baseline BSA affected were performed at Week 48. PASI 75, PGA 0/1, and PASI 90 (?90% reduction in PASI) responses were summarized at Week 16 using a logistic regression model with multiple imputation (overall population) and descriptively at Week 48 based on nonresponse imputation (subgroups).

Results: Patients are being randomized to CZP 400mg every two weeks (Q2W; n=175), CZP 200mg Q2W (following 400mg loading dose at Weeks 0, 2, and 4; N=186), or placebo (n=100). So far, at Week 16 PASI 75 responder rates for CZP 400mg Q2W and CZP 200mg Q2W were 82.0 percent and 76.7 percent, respectively, versus 9.9 percent for placebo (both p<0.0001), and PGA 0/1 responder rates for CZP 400mg Q2W and CZP 200mg Q2W were 65.3 percent and 56.8 percent, respectively, versus 2.7 percent for placebo (both p<0.0001). At Week 48, CZP 400mg Q2W and CZP 200mg Q2W responder rates were 83.6 percent and 70.7 percent for PASI 75, 68.9 percent and 61.0 percent for PGA 0/1, and 61.6 percent and 50.0 percent for PASI 90. Efficacy was observed for both CZP 400mg Q2W and 200mg Q2W across demographic and baseline disease characteristic subgroups. CZP is generally well tolerated and there have been few serious treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) or discontinuations due to TEAEs; no new safety signals have been observed.

Conclusion: In this pooled analysis of CIMPASI-1 and CIMPASI-2, treatment with either dose of CZP thus far is resulting in statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in signs and symptoms of psoriasis at Week 16 that have been maintained at Week 48. The safety profile for CZP is consistent with the anti-TNF class in psoriasis and the known safety profile of CZP. Similar to the overall population, PASI 75, PGA 0/1, and PASI 90 responder rates have been numerically greater for CZP 400 mg Q2W versus 200 mg Q2W across most subgroups at Week 48.