UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company, has unveiled the findings of 48-week post-hoc analyses derived from pooled Phase 3 data originating from the BE HEARD I and BE HEARD II trials. These analyses scrutinized the influence of bimekizumab on skin pain and draining tunnels in adults with moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). The results were presented at the 2024 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting in San Diego, California, USA, held from March 8 to 12.
The analyses revealed clinically significant enhancements in skin pain reported by patients treated with bimekizumab over a span of 48 weeks, as assessed through various parameters such as the HS Symptom Questionnaire (HSSQ) skin pain item, the Patient Global Impression of Severity of Skin Pain (PGI-S-SP), and the Change in Severity of Skin Pain (PGI-C-SP). Furthermore, patients exhibited notable reductions in draining tunnel count compared to those receiving placebo at Week 16, with these improvements either sustained or bolstered through Week 48.
Dr. Hadar Lev-Tov, MD, Associate Professor at the Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Florida, USA, highlighted the significance of these findings, emphasizing the common challenge posed by disease-associated pain in individuals with HS. He noted that after 48 weeks of bimekizumab treatment, approximately six out of ten patients rated their skin pain as ‘much better’, indicating promising long-term results.
Emmanuel Caeymaex, Executive Vice President, Immunology Solutions and Head of U.S. at UCB, underscored the sustained improvements observed in skin pain and draining tunnel count over the 48-week period, reaffirming the company’s dedication to developing impactful solutions for individuals with HS. UCB is actively pursuing regulatory applications globally to make bimekizumab available to the HS community.
It’s important to note that bimekizumab is not currently approved for the treatment of moderate to severe HS by any regulatory authority worldwide. Its efficacy and safety profile in this context remain investigational.
The baseline characteristics of adult patients participating in the study included a randomized allocation of 2:2:2:1 (initial/maintenance) to various bimekizumab dosing regimens or placebo/bimekizumab. Across treatment groups, the mean baseline HSSQ skin pain score was 5.8, and 72.8% of patients presented with draining tunnels at baseline.
Key highlights from the bimekizumab data presented at the AAD 2024 conference include significant improvements in pain indicators and notable reductions in draining tunnel count, indicative of the potential impact of bimekizumab on improving the quality of life for individuals with moderate to severe HS.
(Note: This rewrite has omitted the “Notes to editors” section as it typically contains information intended for journalists or editors rather than general readers.)
