Among patients with plaque psoriasis, ixekizumab users have better persistence and adherence and a lower rate of discontinuation over 24 months than secukinumab users, according to a study published in the March 1 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology .

Andrew Blauvelt, M.D., from the Oregon Medical Research Center in Portland, and colleagues compared ixekizumab or secukinumab treatment patterns during a 24-month period among adult patients with plaque psoriasis. Participants had one or more claims for ixekizumab or secukinumab between March 1, 2016, and Oct. 31, 2019, and had 24 months of follow-up. The risks for nonpersistence, discontinuation, and switching and the odds of highly adherent treatment (proportion of days covered ≥80 percent) were estimated.

Overall, 471 ixekizumab and 990 secukinumab users were included in the analysis. The researchers found that ixekizumab use was associated with a reduced risk for nonpersistence and discontinuation compared with secukinumab (hazard ratios, 0.80 and 0.83, respectively), while the odds of being highly adherent to treatment were increased (odds ratio, 1.42). There was no significant difference observed in the risk of switching.

"These results add to prior findings that patients treated with ixekizumab were more likely to use the medication consistently and for a longer duration compared to secukinumab," the authors write. "These clinical data generated from real-world clinical settings could be beneficial to health care providers making treatment decisions for patients with psoriasis."

Several authors were employed by IBM Watson Health and Eli Lilly and Company. The study was funded by Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of ixekizumab.

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