Bimekizumab treatment in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: a drug safety evaluation

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Biological treatments deeply changed the management of moderate-to-severe forms of psoriasis. Among the available biological therapies, interleukin (IL)-17 inhibitors, secukinumab, ixekizumab, brodalumab, and bimekizumab represent one of the most rapid and effective biologic classes available for psoriasis. Bimekizumab, the latest available IL-17 inhibitor, is a humanized monoclonal immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 antibody that acts by neutralizing both IL-17A and IL-17F, showing a unique mechanism of action differing from ixekizumab and secukinumab (selective IL17A inhibitor), as well as brodalumab (antagonist of IL17 receptor).

Areas covered

This review aims to evaluate the safety profile of bimekizumab in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Expert opinion

The efficacy and safety of bimekizumab have been reported by several phase II and III clinical trials, even in a longer-term period. Moreover, clinical trials also showed bimekizumab to have significantly higher efficacy compared to other biological classes, including anti-TNF, anti-IL-12/23, and even to another IL-17 inhibitor, secukinumab. Although numerous biologics are currently available for psoriasis, some patients may result resistant to other treatments and/or experience psoriatic flares during or after treatment withdrawal. In this scenario, bimekizumab may represent an additional valuable alternative for patients with moderate-to-severe forms of psoriasis.

KEYWORDS:

• psoriasis
• bimekizumab
• biologic
• Anti-IL17
• treatment
• safety

Declaration of Interest

M Megna acted as a speaker or consultant for AbbVie, Novartis, Eli Lilly, Janssen, UCB, Amgen, and 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 reviewer has received consulting fees and honorariums from several companies that have psoriasis biologics: UCB, BMS, Novartis, Amgen, AbbVie and has completed clinical studies from these companies - with funds going to the university. The remaining reviewers have no other relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Scientific accuracy review

UCB provided a scientific accuracy review at the request of the journal editor.

Author contribution statement

A Ruggiero data curation, formal analysis, investigation, visualization, writing-original draft preparation, writing – review and editing. L Potestio data curation, formal analysis, investigation, visualization, writing-original draft preparation, writing – review and editing. F Martora data curation, formal analysis, investigation, and writing-original draft preparation. A Villani data curation, formal analysis, visualization, and writing-original draft preparation. R Comune data curation, investigation, visualization, and writing-original draft preparation. M Megna data curation, formal analysis, investigation, visualization, writing-original draft preparation, writing – review and editing.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.