Efficacy and Safety of Guselkumab in Participants With Active Psoriatic Arthritis After Inadequate Response to One Prior Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor: Week-24 Results of a Phase 3, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of guselkumab, an interleukin-23p19 subunit inhibitor, in participants with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and inadequate response (inadequate efficacy and/or intolerance) to one prior tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor.

METHODS

In SOLSTICE (phase 3b, randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study), enrolled adults with active PsA (three or more swollen joints; three or more tender joints; C-reactive protein ≥ 0.3 mg/dL) and inadequate response to one prior TNF inhibitor were randomized to guselkumab 100 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W), guselkumab 100 mg at weeks 0 and 4 and then Q8W, or placebo with crossover to guselkumab Q4W at week 24. The primary endpoint was ≥20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology criteria (ACR20) at week 24. Secondary endpoints included ACR50, ACR70, Investigator's Global Assessment of psoriasis (IGA) score of 0 or 1 with ≥2-grade improvement, ≥90% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI90), and minimal disease activity (MDA) at week 24 and were analyzed by intention-to-treat.

RESULTS

Analyses included 451 randomized participants (Q4W n = 150; Q8W n = 151; placebo n = 150). At week 24, significantly greater proportions of guselkumab (Q4W/Q8W)-treated participants versus placebo-treated participants, respectively, achieved ACR20 (primary endpoint: 58.6%/62.2% vs 34.8%), ACR50 (31.4%/32.1% vs 12.2%), ACR70 (17.5%/17.3% vs 2.0%), IGA 0/1 response (50.0%/57.3% vs 17.4%), PASI90 (49.4%/45.5% vs 12.0%), and MDA (18.8%/23.9% vs 5.4%) (all P < 0.001). Through week 24, 46.7%, 53.6%, and 48.3% of participants receiving guselkumab Q4W, guselkumab Q8W, and placebo, respectively, had one or more adverse event. One death occurred (myocardial infarction).

CONCLUSION

Comparable efficacy was observed with both guselkumab regimens in participants with active PsA and inadequate response to one prior TNF inhibitor; safety findings were consistent with the known profile of guselkumab in patients with psoriatic disease.