Janssen’s Stelara shows efficacy in psoriatic arthritis trial

Janssen has announced new phase III trial results for its interleukin (IL)-12/23 inhibitor Stelara, which demonstrates its efficacy among psoriatic arthritis patients.

Data from the 615-patient trial showed that subjects administered with the drug experienced significant improvements in signs and symptoms of the disease at week 24, thus meeting the primary efficacy endpoint.

Stelara-treated patients also achieved improvements in physical function, including dactylitis and enthesitis – two common manifestations of psoriatic arthritis causing pain and swelling – as well as in plaque psoriasis.

Janssen's drug is currently approved for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in 65 countries.

Study investigator Dr Alice Gottlieb, dermatologist-in-chief and chair of dermatology at the Tufts Medical Center, said: "For physicians who treat patients living with active psoriatic arthritis, the potential of Stelara, an IL-12/23 monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of this chronic inflammatory disease is a promising development."

This comes after the firm recently published phase III data that underlined the benefits its drug Simponi can provide to rheumatoid arthritis patients when delivered intravenously.