AbbVie's Skyrizi Achieves Superiority Versus Amgen's Drug In Head-to-Head Study In Moderate Plaque Psoriasis

AbbVie Inc ABBV announced that the British Journal of Dermatology published results from the head-to-head Phase 4 IMMpulse study that evaluated the efficacy and safety of Skyrizi (risankizumab) compared to Amgen Inc's AMGN Otezla (apremilast) for moderate plaque psoriasis eligible for systemic therapy.

The study achieved all primary and ranked secondary endpoints without identifying new safety signals.

At Week 16, a significantly higher proportion of patients who received risankizumab achieved the Period A co-primary endpoints of Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90 and Static Physician's Global Assessment (sPGA) 0/1 (55.9% and 75.4%) versus 5.1% and 18.4% with apremilast.

The proportion of patients achieving the ranked secondary endpoint of PASI 75 at Week 16 was also significantly higher in risankizumab- versus apremilast-treated patients [84.7% vs. 18.8%), respectively.

At Week 52, among patients who failed to achieve PASI 75 after 16 weeks of treatment with apremilast, a significantly higher proportion of patients re-randomized to risankizumab achieved the Period B primary endpoint of PASI 90 as compared to those re-assigned to continue treatment with apremilast (72.3% versus 2.6%).

After 52 weeks of continuous treatment, 73.7% of risankizumab patients achieved the pre-specified endpoints of PASI 90 and 63.6% PASI 100, with 4.5% and 2.7% of apremilast patients achieving PASI 90 and PASI 100 at Week 52, respectively.

The safety profile for risankizumab was consistent with previously reported studies.

Skyrizi is part of a collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim and AbbVie, with AbbVie leading development and commercialization globally.

Price Action: ABBV shares are trading 0.20% higher at $141.95 on the last check Wednesday.