Secukinumab safe, effective in children with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis

Treatment with either low- or high-dose secukinumab is effective and well tolerated in paediatric patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, a study has shown.

A team of investigators conducted a phase III, open-label, randomized, multicentre study to assess the efficacy and safety of two secukinumab dosage regimens (low dose: 75/75/150 mg; high dose: 75/150/300 mg) stratified and randomized by weight (<25 kg, 25 to <50 kg, ≥50 kg) and disease severity in patients aged 6 to <18 years with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

Both low- and high-dose secukinumab performed better than historical placebo in terms of psoriasis area and severity index (PASI)-75/90 and investigator global assessment 0/1 responses at week 12. Compared with placebo, the estimated probability of a positive treatment effect (ie, log odds ratio >0) for low- or high-dose secukinumab was 1 (ie, 100 percent).

At week 12, the investigator global assessment 0/1 response rates were 78.6 percent and 83.3 percent for the low and high doses, respectively; the corresponding PASI-90 response rates were 69 percent and 76.2 percent. The PASI-75 response rate for both doses was 92.9 percent.

The study was limited by its open-label design and the absence of a control arm.

“Psoriasis affects 0.13 percent to 2.1 percent of children and adolescents,” the investigators said. “Despite a high unmet need, the current treatment options approved for paediatric psoriasis are limited.”