Effect of Bimekizumab Treatment on Health Status, Work Productivity, and Productivity Costs Through 3 Years in Axial Spondyloarthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the 3-year effect of bimekizumab on health status, work productivity, and productivity-related costs in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

METHODS

BE MOBILE 1 (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03928704) and BE MOBILE 2 (NCT03928743), phase III trials in axSpA, and BE OPTIMAL (NCT03895203) and BE COMPLETE (NCT03896581), phase III trials in PsA, evaluated subcutaneous bimekizumab 160 mg every 4 weeks. Patients who completed these studies were eligible to enter the open-label extension studies BE MOVING (NCT04436640; axSpA) or BE VITAL (NCT04009499; PsA). Outcomes are reported by indication for observed cases among patients originally randomized to placebo or bimekizumab through year 3. These included changes in health status (EQ-5D-3L and the EQ visual analog scale [VAS; 0-100]), work productivity (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire-Specific Health Problem v2.0 [WPAI-SHP]), and annualized productivity cost savings associated with improvements in work impairment.

RESULTS

Among 586 patients with axSpA and 1112 patients with PsA, mean EQ VAS scores improved by 20.2-21.3 points in axSpA and 17.1-17.3 points in PsA from baseline to year 3. At year 3, most patients reported clinically meaningful improvements in work impairment (axSpA: 74.2-81.1%; PsA: 71.2- 71.3%) and achieved an acceptable work state, defined by WPAI-SHP presenteeism < 40% (axSpA: 83.7-84.2%; PsA: 84.1-87.2%). In the US, productivity cost savings (in US dollars) were sustained to year 3 ($22,012.14-22,549.32 in axSpA, and $13,327.60-16,428.25 in PsA); similar trends were observed in Europe and Japan.

CONCLUSION

Bimekizumab demonstrated sustained improvements in health status and work productivity to year 3 across axSpA and PsA. Health status was comparable to population norms at year 3. Productivity cost savings from reduced work impairment were observed, reflecting a reduced economic and social burden of axSpA and PsA.