Impact of early treatment of psoriasis on disease recurrence-Results from the STEPIn study.

BACKGROUND

Benefits of early intervention with secukinumab in patients with new-onset plaque psoriasis (disease duration: ≤1 year) were investigated in STEPIn study (NCT03020199).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the proportion of patients maintaining sustained skin clearance in the treatment-free follow-up period up to week (W) 104 following withdrawal of secukinumab and narrow band ultraviolet B at W52.

METHODS

Wald test was used for analysis of proportion of patients achieving PASI 90 (key secondary endpoint) from W52 through W104. Missing values were imputed using nonresponder imputation approach.

RESULTS

Overall, 93.5% (72/77) of patients completed 52 weeks in the secukinumab arm. At W104, 20.8% of patients who previously received secukinumab sustained PASI 90 responses. At W104, 11.7%, 22.1%, and 24.7% of patients previously treated with secukinumab sustained a PASI 100 response, IGA mod 2011 0/1 and PASI <3. Among secukinumab treated patients, 44% (29/66) who entered the treatment-free follow-up period at W52 did not relapse (loss of 50% of the maximum improvement in PASI following treatment cessation) until W104.

LIMITATION: Absence of blinding due to open-label nature of the study.

CONCLUSIONS

Early intervention with secukinumab maintains efficacy in a subset of patients with new-onset moderate to severe psoriasis, 1-year following treatment withdrawal.