The first and only dual-acting interleukin-23 inhibitor approved in active ulcerative colitis, TREMFYA® showed highly statistically significant rates of endoscopic remission at one year in the pivotal QUASAR program1,2,3,4,5
TREMFYA® is now approved for the treatment of plaque psoriasis, active psoriatic arthritis and ulcerative colitis
HORSHAM, PA, USA I September 11, 2024 I Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved TREMFYA® (guselkumab) for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic disease of the large intestine in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed. TREMFYA® is the first and only approved fully-human, dual-acting monoclonal antibody that blocks IL-23 while also binding to CD64, a receptor on cells that produce IL-23. IL-23 is a cytokine secreted by activated monocyte/macrophages and dendritic cells that is known to be a driver of immune-mediated diseases including UC.1,2,3,4,5
“Treatment with TREMFYA resulted in significant improvement in the chronic symptoms of ulcerative colitis, and importantly, normalization in the endoscopic appearance of the intestinal lining,” said David T. Rubin, MD, Director, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, University of Chicago Medicine, and lead investigator for the QUASAR program. “Today’s approval of TREMFYA builds on the clinical and well-established safety profile of this IL-23 inhibitor and marks a significant step forward in the treatment of this chronic inflammatory disease.”
The UC approval is supported by data from the pivotal, ongoing Phase 2b/3 QUASAR study evaluating the efficacy and safety of TREMFYA® in adult patients with moderately to severely active UC who experienced an inadequate response or who demonstrate intolerance to conventional therapy, other biologics and/or JAK inhibitors.6 Highlights from QUASAR showed:
- 50% of patients receiving TREMFYA® 200 mg subcutaneous (SC) maintenance every four weeks (q4w) and 45% of patients receiving TREMFYA® 100 mg SC every eight weeks (q8w) achieved primary endpoint of clinical remission at week 44 compared to 19% placebo-treated patients (p<0.001).
- 34% (200 mg) and 35% (100 mg) of patients achieved endoscopic remission at one year with TREMFYA® SC maintenance therapy compared to 15% placebo-treated patients (p<0.001).
“There is a significant need for new UC therapies that offer meaningful improvements in symptoms and the promise of remission, both overall clinical remission as well as delivering visible healing of the colon through endoscopic remission,” said Christopher Gasink, MD, Vice President, Medical Affairs, Gastroenterology & Autoantibody, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. “In the QUASAR clinical program, TREMFYA demonstrated high reported rates of endoscopic remission at one year of treatment, continuing to raise the bar for efficacy in the treatment of this inflammatory bowel disease.”
For the treatment of UC, TREMFYA® is administered as a 200 mg induction dose intravenously at weeks zero, four and eight by a healthcare professional. The recommended maintenance dosage is 100 mg administered by SC injection at week 16, and every 8 weeks thereafter, or 200 mg administered by SC injection at week 12, and every 4 weeks thereafter. The SC maintenance dose can be self-administered by the patient or administered by a caregiver using TREMFYA® after proper training. Use the lowest effective recommended dosage to maintain therapeutic response.
The QUASAR results reinforced the well-established safety profile of TREMFYA® including in the treatment of patients with UC. This FDA approval marks the third indication approved for TREMFYA®, which builds on Johnson & Johnson’s nearly 30-year legacy of immunology innovation. TREMFYA® first received approval in the U.S. in July 2017 for the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and received subsequent approval for adults with active psoriatic arthritis in July 2020.3 In June 2024, Johnson & Johnson submitted a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the FDA seeking approval of TREMFYA® for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease.
Editor’s Notes:
- CD64+ cells are the predominant source of IL-23 in UC. Cells not expressing CD64 may also contribute to IL-23 production but to a lesser extent.1,2
- “Only” based on approved selective IL-23 inhibitors for moderately to severely active UC as of September 2024.3,4,5
- Based on in vitro studies in an inflammatory monocyte model.1
- Clinical remission was defined as a Mayo stool frequency subscore of 0 or 1 and not increased from induction baseline, a Mayo rectal bleeding subscore of 0, and a Mayo endoscopy subscore of 0 or 1 with no friability present on the endoscopy.6
- Endoscopic remission (normalization) was defined as a Mayo endoscopic subscore of 0.6
- Dr. Rubin is a paid consultant for Johnson & Johnson. He has not been compensated for any media work.
- TREMFYA® is not approved for the treatment of adults living with Crohn’s disease in the U.S.
ABOUT THE QUASAR PROGRAM (NCT04033445)
QUASAR is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, multicenter Phase 2b/3 program designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TREMFYA®, a selective IL-23 inhibitor, in adult patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who had an inadequate response or intolerance to conventional therapy (e.g., thiopurines or corticosteroids), prior biologics and/or JAK inhibitors (i.e., tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonists, vedolizumab, or tofacitinib).3 QUASAR included a Phase 2b dose-ranging induction study, a confirmatory Phase 3 induction study, and a Phase 3 maintenance study. Efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and biomarkers are assessed at specified time points.6
The most common adverse reactions (>2%) in patients with UC who received TREMFYA® and at a higher rate of placebo in the induction study were respiratory tract infections. The most common adverse reactions (>3%) in patients with UC who received TREMFYA® and at a higher rate of placebo in the maintenance study were injection site reactions, arthralgia, and upper respiratory tract infection.
ABOUT ULCERATIVE COLITIS
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation in the digestive tract and can result in damage to the colon lining. It is the result of the immune system’s overactive response. Patients can experience a range of unpredictable symptoms, which may include loose and more frequent bowel movements, rectal bleeding or bloody stool, persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue.7 Patients with UC also have increased rates of depression.8 More than one million people in the U.S. are living with UC, making it one of the largest populations globally affected by this disease, and the prevalence continues to rise.9,10,11
ABOUT TREMFYA® (guselkumab)
Developed by Johnson & Johnson, TREMFYA® is the first approved fully-human, dual-acting monoclonal antibody designed to neutralize inflammation at the cellular source by blocking IL-23 and binding to CD64 (a receptor on cell that produce IL-23). Findings for dual-acting are limited to in vitro studies that demonstrate guselkumab binds to CD64, which is expressed on the surface of IL-23 producing cells in an inflammatory monocyte model. The clinical significance of this finding is not known.
TREMFYA® is approved in the U.S., Europe, Canada, Japan, and a number of other countries for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and for the treatment of adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis.
Johnson & Johnson maintains exclusive worldwide marketing rights to TREMFYA®. For more information, visit: www.tremfya.com.
ABOUT JOHNSON & JOHNSON
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/ or at www.janssen.com/johnson-johnson-innovative-medicine. Follow us at @JanssenUS and @JNJInnovMed. Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC. and Janssen Biotech, Inc. are all Johnson & Johnson companies.
1 Atreya R, Abreu MT, Krueger JG, et al. Guselkumab, an IL-23p19 subunit-specific monoclonal antibody, binds CD64+ myeloid cells and potentially neutralizes IL-23 produced from the same cells. Poster presented at: 18th Congress of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organization (ECCO); March 1-4, 2023; Copenhagen, Denmark. Poster P504.
2 Kreuger JG, Eyerich K, Kuchroo VK. Il-23 past, present, and future: a roadmap to advancing IL-23 science and therapy. Front Immunol. 2024; 15:1331217. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2024.1331217
3 TREMFYA® [Prescribing Information]. Horsham, PA: Janssen Biotech, Inc.
4 Skyrizi® [Prescribing Information]. North Chicago, IL: AbbVie, Inc.
5 OmvohTM [Prescribing Information]. Indianapolis, IN: Eli Lilly and Company.
6 Clinicaltrials.gov. A Study of Guselkumab in Participants With Moderately to Severely Active Ulcerative Colitis (QUASAR). Identifier: NCT04033445. Accessed September 2024. https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04033445
7 Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. What is ulcerative colitis? Accessed September 2024. https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/what-is-ulcerative-colitis
8 Yuan X, Chen B, Duan Z, et al. Depression and anxiety in patients with active ulcerative colitis: crosstalk of gut microbiota, metabolomics and proteomics. Gut Microbes. 2021;13(1):1987779. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2021.1987779
9 Lewis, JD, et al. Incidence, prevalence and racial and ethnic distribution of inflammatory bowel disease in the United States. Gastroenterology. 2023;165:1197-1205.
10 Shivashankar R, Tremaine WJ, Harmsen WS, et al. Incidence and prevalence of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in Olmsted County, Minnesota from 1970 through 2010. NIH external link. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;15(6):857-863. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2016.10.039.
11 Le Berre C, Honap S, Peyrin-Biroulet L. Ulcerative colitis. Lancet. 2023;402(10401):571-584. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00966-2
SOURCE: Johnson & Johnson
Post Views: 2,012
The first and only dual-acting interleukin-23 inhibitor approved in active ulcerative colitis, TREMFYA® showed highly statistically significant rates of endoscopic remission at one year in the pivotal QUASAR program1,2,3,4,5
TREMFYA® is now approved for the treatment of plaque psoriasis, active psoriatic arthritis and ulcerative colitis
HORSHAM, PA, USA I September 11, 2024 I Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved TREMFYA® (guselkumab) for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic disease of the large intestine in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed. TREMFYA® is the first and only approved fully-human, dual-acting monoclonal antibody that blocks IL-23 while also binding to CD64, a receptor on cells that produce IL-23. IL-23 is a cytokine secreted by activated monocyte/macrophages and dendritic cells that is known to be a driver of immune-mediated diseases including UC.1,2,3,4,5
“Treatment with TREMFYA resulted in significant improvement in the chronic symptoms of ulcerative colitis, and importantly, normalization in the endoscopic appearance of the intestinal lining,” said David T. Rubin, MD, Director, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, University of Chicago Medicine, and lead investigator for the QUASAR program. “Today’s approval of TREMFYA builds on the clinical and well-established safety profile of this IL-23 inhibitor and marks a significant step forward in the treatment of this chronic inflammatory disease.”
The UC approval is supported by data from the pivotal, ongoing Phase 2b/3 QUASAR study evaluating the efficacy and safety of TREMFYA® in adult patients with moderately to severely active UC who experienced an inadequate response or who demonstrate intolerance to conventional therapy, other biologics and/or JAK inhibitors.6 Highlights from QUASAR showed:
- 50% of patients receiving TREMFYA® 200 mg subcutaneous (SC) maintenance every four weeks (q4w) and 45% of patients receiving TREMFYA® 100 mg SC every eight weeks (q8w) achieved primary endpoint of clinical remission at week 44 compared to 19% placebo-treated patients (p<0.001).
- 34% (200 mg) and 35% (100 mg) of patients achieved endoscopic remission at one year with TREMFYA® SC maintenance therapy compared to 15% placebo-treated patients (p<0.001).
“There is a significant need for new UC therapies that offer meaningful improvements in symptoms and the promise of remission, both overall clinical remission as well as delivering visible healing of the colon through endoscopic remission,” said Christopher Gasink, MD, Vice President, Medical Affairs, Gastroenterology & Autoantibody, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. “In the QUASAR clinical program, TREMFYA demonstrated high reported rates of endoscopic remission at one year of treatment, continuing to raise the bar for efficacy in the treatment of this inflammatory bowel disease.”
For the treatment of UC, TREMFYA® is administered as a 200 mg induction dose intravenously at weeks zero, four and eight by a healthcare professional. The recommended maintenance dosage is 100 mg administered by SC injection at week 16, and every 8 weeks thereafter, or 200 mg administered by SC injection at week 12, and every 4 weeks thereafter. The SC maintenance dose can be self-administered by the patient or administered by a caregiver using TREMFYA® after proper training. Use the lowest effective recommended dosage to maintain therapeutic response.
The QUASAR results reinforced the well-established safety profile of TREMFYA® including in the treatment of patients with UC. This FDA approval marks the third indication approved for TREMFYA®, which builds on Johnson & Johnson’s nearly 30-year legacy of immunology innovation. TREMFYA® first received approval in the U.S. in July 2017 for the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and received subsequent approval for adults with active psoriatic arthritis in July 2020.3 In June 2024, Johnson & Johnson submitted a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the FDA seeking approval of TREMFYA® for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease.
Editor’s Notes:
- CD64+ cells are the predominant source of IL-23 in UC. Cells not expressing CD64 may also contribute to IL-23 production but to a lesser extent.1,2
- “Only” based on approved selective IL-23 inhibitors for moderately to severely active UC as of September 2024.3,4,5
- Based on in vitro studies in an inflammatory monocyte model.1
- Clinical remission was defined as a Mayo stool frequency subscore of 0 or 1 and not increased from induction baseline, a Mayo rectal bleeding subscore of 0, and a Mayo endoscopy subscore of 0 or 1 with no friability present on the endoscopy.6
- Endoscopic remission (normalization) was defined as a Mayo endoscopic subscore of 0.6
- Dr. Rubin is a paid consultant for Johnson & Johnson. He has not been compensated for any media work.
- TREMFYA® is not approved for the treatment of adults living with Crohn’s disease in the U.S.
ABOUT THE QUASAR PROGRAM (NCT04033445)
QUASAR is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, multicenter Phase 2b/3 program designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TREMFYA®, a selective IL-23 inhibitor, in adult patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who had an inadequate response or intolerance to conventional therapy (e.g., thiopurines or corticosteroids), prior biologics and/or JAK inhibitors (i.e., tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonists, vedolizumab, or tofacitinib).3 QUASAR included a Phase 2b dose-ranging induction study, a confirmatory Phase 3 induction study, and a Phase 3 maintenance study. Efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and biomarkers are assessed at specified time points.6
The most common adverse reactions (>2%) in patients with UC who received TREMFYA® and at a higher rate of placebo in the induction study were respiratory tract infections. The most common adverse reactions (>3%) in patients with UC who received TREMFYA® and at a higher rate of placebo in the maintenance study were injection site reactions, arthralgia, and upper respiratory tract infection.
ABOUT ULCERATIVE COLITIS
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation in the digestive tract and can result in damage to the colon lining. It is the result of the immune system’s overactive response. Patients can experience a range of unpredictable symptoms, which may include loose and more frequent bowel movements, rectal bleeding or bloody stool, persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue.7 Patients with UC also have increased rates of depression.8 More than one million people in the U.S. are living with UC, making it one of the largest populations globally affected by this disease, and the prevalence continues to rise.9,10,11
ABOUT TREMFYA® (guselkumab)
Developed by Johnson & Johnson, TREMFYA® is the first approved fully-human, dual-acting monoclonal antibody designed to neutralize inflammation at the cellular source by blocking IL-23 and binding to CD64 (a receptor on cell that produce IL-23). Findings for dual-acting are limited to in vitro studies that demonstrate guselkumab binds to CD64, which is expressed on the surface of IL-23 producing cells in an inflammatory monocyte model. The clinical significance of this finding is not known.
TREMFYA® is approved in the U.S., Europe, Canada, Japan, and a number of other countries for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and for the treatment of adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis.
Johnson & Johnson maintains exclusive worldwide marketing rights to TREMFYA®. For more information, visit: www.tremfya.com.
ABOUT JOHNSON & JOHNSON
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/ or at www.janssen.com/johnson-johnson-innovative-medicine. Follow us at @JanssenUS and @JNJInnovMed. Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC. and Janssen Biotech, Inc. are all Johnson & Johnson companies.
1 Atreya R, Abreu MT, Krueger JG, et al. Guselkumab, an IL-23p19 subunit-specific monoclonal antibody, binds CD64+ myeloid cells and potentially neutralizes IL-23 produced from the same cells. Poster presented at: 18th Congress of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organization (ECCO); March 1-4, 2023; Copenhagen, Denmark. Poster P504.
2 Kreuger JG, Eyerich K, Kuchroo VK. Il-23 past, present, and future: a roadmap to advancing IL-23 science and therapy. Front Immunol. 2024; 15:1331217. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2024.1331217
3 TREMFYA® [Prescribing Information]. Horsham, PA: Janssen Biotech, Inc.
4 Skyrizi® [Prescribing Information]. North Chicago, IL: AbbVie, Inc.
5 OmvohTM [Prescribing Information]. Indianapolis, IN: Eli Lilly and Company.
6 Clinicaltrials.gov. A Study of Guselkumab in Participants With Moderately to Severely Active Ulcerative Colitis (QUASAR). Identifier: NCT04033445. Accessed September 2024. https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04033445
7 Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. What is ulcerative colitis? Accessed September 2024. https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/what-is-ulcerative-colitis
8 Yuan X, Chen B, Duan Z, et al. Depression and anxiety in patients with active ulcerative colitis: crosstalk of gut microbiota, metabolomics and proteomics. Gut Microbes. 2021;13(1):1987779. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2021.1987779
9 Lewis, JD, et al. Incidence, prevalence and racial and ethnic distribution of inflammatory bowel disease in the United States. Gastroenterology. 2023;165:1197-1205.
10 Shivashankar R, Tremaine WJ, Harmsen WS, et al. Incidence and prevalence of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in Olmsted County, Minnesota from 1970 through 2010. NIH external link. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;15(6):857-863. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2016.10.039.
11 Le Berre C, Honap S, Peyrin-Biroulet L. Ulcerative colitis. Lancet. 2023;402(10401):571-584. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00966-2
SOURCE: Johnson & Johnson
Post Views: 2,012
