A review of emerging IL-17 inhibitors in the treatment of psoriasis focusing on preclinical through phase II studies

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Interleukin-17 has recently been identified as a key player in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. As such, several drugs targeting IL-17 are in various stages of clinical development.

Areas covered: In this review, the authors describe several emerging therapies and drug candidates targeting IL-17. The authors detail many biologic injectable drug candidates as well as numerous potential oral and topical small molecule drug candidates.

Expert opinion: Approval of IL-17 inhibitors has significantly improved the treatment options for psoriasis patients. Secukinumab and ixekizumab are approved in both Europe and the USA, and brodalumab is likely facing approval by the end of 2016. Numerous additional biologic and small molecule drug candidates are in the pipeline, and once deemed safe and effective will likely offer significant benefit to our psoriasis population.

KEYWORDS:

• Interleukin-17
• psoriasis
• biologic drugs
• RORγt inhibitor

Article highlights

• Interleukin-17 plays an integral role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, as evidenced by multiple basic science studies and the efficacy of drugs targeting IL-17 in the treatment of psoriasis.

• There are numerous novel biologic drugs in early phases of preclinical and clinical development that target IL-17.

• In addition to these biologic drugs, there are multiple small molecule drug candidates indirectly targeting IL-17 in early phases of development.

• Drugs targeting IL-17 will likely represent a large percentage of future treatments of psoriasis.

• Multiple IL-17 biologic and oral agents are currently either available or in early or late phase development.

• Short-term safety data for the IL-17 agents (1–2 years) are excellent. However, longer-term safety (>5 years) data still need to be evaluated by registries as well as by continued follow-up of patients in prior clinical trials.

• Newer biologic agents, especially IL-23 agents, are also showing excellent clinical trial responses and are likely to also play a prominent therapeutic role in the next 18 months to three years.

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Declaration of interest

A Menter has served as an advisor, speaker and/or consultant for AbbVie, Allergan, Amgen Inc, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly and company, Janssen Biotech Inc, LEO Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer Inc, Vitae and Xenoport. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.