Effectiveness and Safety of Risankizumab in Psoriasis Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology: JEADV

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• The authors followed psoriasis patients (N=57) treated with risankizumab for 16 weeks over a period that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, 49.1% of patients achieved PASI-100 at week 16. Greater efficacy was seen in those with PASI ≥20 at baseline than those with PASI <20 at baseline. None of the 57 patients experienced SARS-CoV-2 during the study period, although 3 (5.3%) had direct contact with a SARS-CoV-2–infected individual. However, 1 patient (1.8%) developed a non– SARS-CoV-2 upper respiratory tract infection during the study period.

• This real-life multicenter study demonstrated efficacy of risankizumab comparable to that achieved in the initial clinical trials. Although further studies on the use of biologics during the COVID-19 pandemic are needed, none of the 3 patients in this study with known exposure to SARS-CoV-2 developed the infection.

– Margaret Hammond, MD

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Don Mehrabi MD, FAAD

This evaluation of risankizumab in Italy at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic shows us that this medication is effective (nearly 50% PASI-100) and safe. A couple interesting notes: Patients with a BMI <25 did better than those with a BMI >25, patients who were worse at baseline had greater percentage improvements, and patients with a history of biologic use in the past achieved a similar PASI-75 as biologic-naïve patients. Although we can expect risankizumab to be highly effective in all patients, especially the more severe cases, we should continue to emphasize weight reduction in obese patients to increase our chances of even better therapeutic success.

Abstract 

Risankizumab is a humanized IgG monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity and specificity to the p19 subunit and selectively inhibits IL-23, critical for psoriatic inflammation. In phase-3 trials (UltIMMa-1, UltIMMa-2 and IMMvent) risankizumab demonstrated early and sustained efficacy at 12-week dosing in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis.1,2 To date, limited real-life data are available on its effectiveness and safety.3

Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology: JEADV

A Multicenter Study on Effectiveness and Safety of Risankizumab in Psoriasis: An Italian 16-Week Real-Life Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2020 Oct 20;[EPub Ahead of Print], K Hansel, A Zangrilli, L Bianchi, K Peris, A Chiricozzi, A Offidani, F Diotallevi, MC Fargnoli, M Esposito, P Amerio, G Gualdi, L Bianchi, L Stingeni 

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Benjamin Hidalgo-Matlock
Skin Care Physicians of Costa Rica

Clinica Victoria en San Pedro: 4000-1054
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