Bimekizumab Demonstrates Sustained Disease Control in Hidradenitis Suppurativa Over Two Years, New Data Reveals
UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company, has unveiled promising long-term data from its BE HEARD clinical trials, showcasing the sustained efficacy of bimekizumab in treating moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). The two-year findings highlight the drug’s ability to provide durable disease control and improve quality of life for patients living with this chronic and debilitating skin condition.
Bimekizumab, the first and only treatment designed to selectively inhibit both interleukin 17A (IL-17A) and interleukin 17F (IL-17F), demonstrated significant and lasting improvements in disease severity and symptom management.
After two years of treatment, 53.1% of patients (237 out of 446) achieved mild disease status, compared to 0.0% at baseline. Additionally, 83.4% of patients (372 out of 446) remained flare-free, and 86.9% of those who responded to bimekizumab at 48 weeks maintained their response through the two-year mark.
The data, pooled from the BE HEARD I and II studies and their open-label extension (BE HEARD EXT), also revealed substantial shifts in disease severity. Using the International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity Score System (IHS4), a validated clinician-rated tool, the proportion of patients with severe disease decreased from 87.4% at baseline to 20.4% after two years. Meanwhile, the mean draining tunnel count dropped significantly, further underscoring the drug’s effectiveness in managing HS symptoms.
Patients also reported notable improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQoL), particularly those who experienced no or mild symptom severity. These findings emphasize the profound impact of bimekizumab in addressing the physical and emotional burden of HS, a condition characterized by painful nodules, abscesses, and draining tunnels in areas such as the armpits, groin, and buttocks.
Key Highlights from the Two-Year Data:
Disease Severity: Over two years, the majority of patients transitioned from severe to mild or moderate disease, with 53.1% achieving mild status.
Flare Control: 83.4% of patients remained flare-free at the two-year mark.
Response Maintenance: Among patients who responded to bimekizumab at one year, 90.0% maintained a 50% reduction in abscess and inflammatory nodule count (HiSCR50), and 86.9% maintained a 75% reduction (HiSCR75).
Quality of Life: Patients reporting no or mild symptom severity experienced greater improvements in HRQoL, as measured by the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Quality of Life (HiSQOL) questionnaire.
About the BE HEARD Trials:
The BE HEARD trials evaluated the efficacy and safety of bimekizumab in adults with moderate to severe HS across two Phase 3 studies (BE HEARD I and II). These multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies enrolled a total of 1,014 participants. Patients who completed the initial 48-week treatment period were eligible to join the open-label extension study, where long-term outcomes were assessed.
The results reinforce bimekizumab’s potential as a transformative treatment for HS, offering hope for sustained disease control and improved quality of life for patients. UCB continues to advance its research and development efforts to address the unmet needs of individuals living with this challenging condition.
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