U.S. FDA Approves Second Indication for SKYRIZI® (risankizumab-rzaa) to Treat Adults with Active Psoriatic Arthritis

– SKYRIZI® (risankizumab-rzaa) met the primary endpoint of ACR20 at week 24 in two pivotal studies, demonstrating significant improvement in joint symptoms, including swollen, tender and painful joints, compared to placebo[1,2,3]

– SKYRIZI also showed improvement in dactylitis and enthesitis – inflammation of fingers, toes and sites at which tendons or ligaments attach to bone[1,2,3]

– SKYRIZI is now the only IL-23 inhibitor approved for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis that can be administered with a single injection four times a year (after two starter doses at weeks 0 and 4)[1]

NORTH CHICAGO, IL, USA I January 21, 2022 I AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved SKYRIZI^® (risankizumab-rzaa) for the treatment of adults with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA), a systemic inflammatory disease that affects the skin and joints and impacts approximately 30 percent of patients with psoriasis.^1,4-7

The FDA approval is supported by data from two pivotal studies, KEEPsAKE-1 and KEEPsAKE-2, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of SKYRIZI in adults with active PsA, including those who had responded inadequately or were intolerant to biologic therapy and/or non-biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).^2,3 Across the two Phase 3 studies, SKYRIZI met the primary endpoint of ACR20 response at week 24 compared to placebo and demonstrated significant improvements across several other manifestations of PsA, including swollen, tender and painful joints.^2,3

“Patients often do not suspect a connection between their psoriasis skin symptoms and the joint pain, swelling and stiffness they may be experiencing, potentially leading to a delay in diagnosis and treatment of psoriatic arthritis,” said Thomas Hudson, M.D., senior vice president, research and development, chief scientific officer, AbbVie. “We’re proud to expand the use of SKYRIZI to patients with psoriatic arthritis who are living with the debilitating combination of skin and joint symptoms.”

SKYRIZI maintains a dosing regimen for PsA that is consistent with the existing regimen for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis patients – a single 150 mg subcutaneous injection four times a year (after two starter doses at weeks 0 and 4) – and can be administered alone or in combination with DMARDs.¹

“In the pivotal KEEPsAKE trials, SKYRIZI demonstrated improvements across a number of psoriatic arthritis symptoms, including joint pain, enthesitis and dactylitis,” said Alan J. Kivitz, M.D., CPI, founder and medical director of the Altoona Center for Clinical Research and Altoona Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center in Duncansville, Pa. and KEEPsAKE clinical trial investigator. “This approval provides both dermatologists and rheumatologists with an option that helps improve skin and joint symptoms in patients with active psoriatic arthritis, alongside a quarterly dosing schedule that may fit their patients’ lifestyle.”

SKYRIZI is part of a collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim and AbbVie, with AbbVie leading development and commercialization of SKYRIZI globally.

Highlights from the Pivotal Phase 3 Program^1,2,3

• In KEEPsAKE-1 and KEEPsAKE-2, 57.3 percent and 51.3 percent of patients receiving SKYRIZI achieved the primary endpoint of ACR20 response at week 24, respectively, versus 33.5 percent and 26.5 percent receiving placebo. SKYRIZI also demonstrated improvements in ACR50 and ACR70 responses compared to placebo at week 24.
• SKYRIZI showed improvements in other key manifestations of PsA compared to placebo at week 24, including improvements in dactylitis and enthesitis for patients with pre-existing dactylitis and enthesitis.
• Patients with coexistent plaque psoriasis receiving SKYRIZI saw improvements in the skin lesions of psoriasis, compared to placebo, as measured by the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI 90) at week 24.
• SKYRIZI showed a statistically significant improvement in physical function, compared to placebo, as measured by the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index at week 24, with a mean difference of 0.20 in KEEPsAKE-1 and 0.16 in KEEPsAKE-2.

Safety¹

• The overall safety profile observed in patients with psoriatic arthritis treated with SKYRIZI is generally consistent with the safety profile in patients with plaque psoriasis.
• SKYRIZI may cause serious side effects, including:
  • Serious Allergic Reactions: Stop using SKYRIZI and get medical help right away if you get any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.
  • Infections: SKYRIZI may increase your risk of infections. Before starting treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor right away if you have an infection or symptoms of one.

                  Do not take SKYRIZI if you are allergic to risankizumab-rzaa or any of the ingredients in SKYRIZI.

                  Also, tell your doctor if you plan to or recently received a vaccine.

Patient Access and Support
AbbVie is committed to helping people access SKYRIZI and other medicines, including offering a patient support program and co-pay card that may reduce out-of-pocket costs to as little as $5 per month for eligible, commercially-insured patients. For those with health insurance, AbbVie offers myAbbVie Assist, a patient assistance program that provides SKYRIZI at no charge to those who qualify. More information about this assistance program can be found at www.AbbVie.com/myAbbVieAssist.

About Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a heterogeneous, systemic inflammatory disease involving the joints and skin.⁵ In PsA, the immune system causes inflammation that can lead to skin lesions associated with psoriasis, pain, fatigue and stiffness in the joints.^5,6 PsA affects about 30 percent of patients with psoriasis.^4-7

About KEEPsAKE-1 and KEEPsAKE-2^2,3
KEEPsAKE-1 and KEEPsAKE-2 are both Phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SKYRIZI in adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis. KEEPsAKE-1 evaluated SKYRIZI in patients who had an inadequate response or intolerance to at least one DMARD. KEEPsAKE-2 evaluated SKYRIZI in patients who had an inadequate response or intolerance to biologic therapy and/or DMARDs. Patients were randomized to SKYRIZI 150 mg or placebo followed by SKYRIZI 150 mg at week 24 in the open-label extension. Patients randomized to SKYRIZI received four maintenance doses a year, following two initiation doses.

The primary endpoint for both studies was the achievement of ACR20 response at week 24. Some of the ranked secondary endpoints included change from baseline in Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index and the achievement of PASI 90 at week 24. The studies are ongoing, and patients in the long-term extension remain blinded to the original randomized allocation for the duration of the study, which will evaluate the long-term safety, tolerability and efficacy of SKYRIZI in patients who have completed the placebo-controlled period.

More information on these trials can be found on www.clinicaltrials.gov (KEEPsAKE-1: NCT03675308; KEEPsAKE-2: NCT03671148).

About SKYRIZI^® (risankizumab-rzaa)
SKYRIZI is an interleukin-23 (IL-23) inhibitor that selectively blocks IL-23 by binding to its p19 subunit.⁸ IL-23, a cytokine involved in inflammatory processes, is thought to be linked to a number of chronic immune-mediated diseases, including psoriasis.⁸ SKYRIZI is approved in the U.S. to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy, as well as to treat active psoriatic arthritis in adults. The approved dose for SKYRIZI is 150 mg (one 150 mg pre-filled pen or pre-filled syringe) administered by subcutaneous injection at weeks 0 and 4, and every 12 weeks thereafter. Phase 3 trials of SKYRIZI in psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and psoriatic arthritis are ongoing.^9-17

Please click here for Full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for SKYRIZI.

Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information.

About AbbVie
AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women’s health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram.

References:

1. SKYRIZI (risankizumab) [Package Insert]. North Chicago, Ill.: AbbVie Inc.
2. Kristensen L.E., et al. Efficacy and safety of risankizumab for active psoriatic arthritis: 24-week results from the randomised, double-blind, phase2 3 KEEPsAKE 1 trial. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021; 0:1–7. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-221019.
3. Östör A., et al. Efficacy and safety of risankizumab for active psoriatic arthritis: 24-week results from the randomised, double-blind, phase 3 KEEPsAKE 2 trial. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021; 0:1–8. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-221048.
4. Galezowski, A., et al. Rhumatisme psoriasique en France, du nourrisson à la personne âgée: données de deux études transversales multicentriques [Psoriatic arthritis in France, from infants to the elderly: Findings from two cross-sectional, multicenter studies]. Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2018;145(1):13-20. doi:10.1016/j.annder.2017.10.008.
5. Duarte GV, et al. Psoriatic arthritis. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2012 Feb;26(1):147-56. doi: 10.1016/j.berh.2012.01.003.
6. Diseases & Conditions: Psoriatic Arthritis. 2019. American College of Rheumatology. Available at: https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Psoriatic-Arthritis. Accessed on December 15, 2021.
7. Psoriatic Arthritis. 2019. Mayo Clinic. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/psoriatic-arthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354076. Accessed on December 15, 2021.
8. Duvallet E., Sererano L., Assier E., et al. Interleukin-23: a key cytokine in inflammatory diseases. Ann Med. 2011. Nov 43(7):503-11.
9. BI 655066 (Risankizumab) Compared to Placebo and Active Comparator (Ustekinumab) in Patients With Moderate to Severe Chronic Plaque Psoriasis. ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02684370. Accessed on December 14, 2021.
10. BI 655066 Versus Placebo & Active Comparator (Ustekinumab) in Patients With Moderate to Severe Chronic Plaque Psoriasis. ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02684357. Accessed on December 14, 2021.
11. BI 655066 / ABBV-066 (Risankizumab) in Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis With Randomized Withdrawal and Re-treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02672852. Accessed on December 14, 2021.
12. BI 655066/ABBV-066 (Risankizumab) Compared to Active Comparator (Adalimumab) in Patients With Moderate to Severe Chronic Plaque Psoriasis. ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02694523. Accessed on December 14, 2021.
13. A Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Risankizumab in Participants With Moderately to Severely Active Crohn’s Disease. ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03105128. Accessed on December 14, 2021.
14. A Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Risankizumab in Participants With Ulcerative Colitis. ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03398135. Accessed on December 14, 2021.
15. A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Induction Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Risankizumab in Participants With Moderately to Severely Active Ulcerative Colitis. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03398148. Accessed on December 14, 2021.
16. BI 655066/ABBV-066/Risankizumab Compared to Placebo in Patients With Active Psoriatic Arthritis. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03675308. Accessed on December 14, 2021.
17. BI 655066/ABBV-066/Risankizumab Compared to Placebo in Patients With Active Psoriatic Arthritis. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03671148. Accessed on December 14, 2021.

SOURCE: AbbVie