Golimumab improves skin psoriasis in people with psoriatic arthritis

Intravenous doses of golimumab resulted in clinically meaningful improvements in skin psoriasis in people with psoriatic arthritis as early as week 14, regardless of methotrexate use and nail symptoms, according to findings presented at an international conference.

Experts split people with psoriatic arthritis into groups: 196 received 2mg/kg of golimumab and 198 people were given a sham drug. Golimumab or the sham drug were given at the start of the study, four weeks later and then every eight weeks. Those in the sham treatment group were then switched to golimumab at week 24.

Intravenous doses of golimumab resulted in clinically meaningful improvements in skin psoriasis in people with psoriatic arthritis as early as week 14, regardless of methotrexate use and nail symptoms.

“There were very high rates of response in all of the key clinical domains of psoriatic arthritis, a disease that can have diverse clinical manifestations,” explains Dr Philip Mease, who is involved in the work.

“This is the first time that we are seeing not only PASI 75 responses being reported, but also PASI 100 responses – 25.5% at week 24 (for example, complete clearing of skin disease). This gives us reassurance that this additional method of administering golimumab – intravenous in addition to subcutaneous – can yield excellent results across all key clinical domains of psoriatic arthritis, as well as greater flexibility of use according to patient preference of administration.”

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