Ixekizumab for the treatment of pediatric patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Ixekizumab (IXE), a high affinity humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively targets interleukin-17A, is approved in the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) for pediatric patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. This review summarizes ixekizumab use in the phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in pediatric patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and provides some clinical pearls we have learned after using the drug in the pediatric population for the past 3 years.

Areas covered: Review of IXORA-PEDS trial data, general literature review pertaining to the systemic treatment of pediatric psoriasis as well as our clinical experience with IXE

Expert opinion: IXE is the only IL17 antagonist for pediatric psoriasis and is a welcome addition to our armamentarium.

KEYWORDS:

• Pediatric psoriasis
• ixekizumab
• expert opinion
• IXORA-PEDS trial

Article highlights

• Aggressive and appropriate therapies are underutilized in pediatric psoriasis

• Pediatric and adult psoriasis patients have similar comorbidities

• Several biologic agents are approved in the United States and in the European Union for the treatment of pediatric psoriasis

• IXORA-PEDS was a landmark study demonstrating the safety and efficacy of Ixekizumab in the treatment of pediatric psoriasis

• Clinical experience with Ixekizumab in treating pediatric psoriasis confirms its utility as a first line agent

Declaration of interest

M Young: Advisor: Amgen, Abbvie, Sun Pharmaceutical, Eli lilly, UCB, Janssen, Novartis, Sanofi Genzyme, Leo Pharma; Speaker: Amgen, Sun Pharmaceutical, Eli lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Sanofi Genzyme, Bausch; Clinical Trials performed for: Eli Lilly, Sun Pharma, Menlo Therapeutics, ChemoCentryx, Janssen UCB, Amgen, Celgene, Abbvie, Galderma, Bristol Myers Squibb, Leo Pharma. JC Cather: Advisor: Amgen, Abbvie, Eli Lilly, Sanofi Genzyme, and Bristol Myers Squibb; Speaker: Amgen, Abbvie, and Eli Lilly; Clinical Trials performed for: Eli Lilly, Sun Pharma, Menlo Therapeutics, ChemoCentryx, Janssen UCB, Amgen, Celgene, Abbvie, Galderma, Bristol Myers Squibb, Leo Pharma. 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.

Reviewer disclosures

One of the peer reviewers on this paper has received consultancy/speaker’s honoraria from and/or participated in clinical trials sponsored by Abbvie, Almirall, Amgen, Baxalta, Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, Gebro, Janssen, JS BIOCAD, Leo-Pharma, Lilly, Merck-Serono, MSD, Mylan, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, Sandoz, Samsung-Bioepis, Sanofi, and UCB. Another peer reviewer on this manuscript has served as a speaker for: Eli Lilly, Jansen Cilag, Novartis, Abbvie, Takeda, Amgen, Almirall, CSL, UCB, Regeneron, MSD, and Leo Pharma, and Consultant of: Eli Lilly, Jansen Cilag, Novartis, Abbvie, Takeda, Amgen, Almirall, CSL, UCB, Regeneron, MSD, and Leo Pharma. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no other relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.