FRIDAY, Feb. 28, 2025 -- For patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, ixekizumab is effective and safe, with induction therapy enhancing initial response, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

Ricardo Ruiz-Villaverde, M.D., Ph.D., from Hospital Universitario San Cecilio in Granada, Spain, and colleagues conducted a multicenter, observational study involving 183 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis to examine the real-world effectiveness, safety, and drug survival of ixekizumab with and without an induction phase. Patients were divided into an induction group (160 mg at baseline, followed by 80 mg every two weeks through 12 weeks, then every four weeks) and a noninduction group (80 mg every four weeks from initiation).

Baseline Psoriasis Activity Skin Index (PASI) and Physician Global Assessment scores were higher in the induction group, indicative of greater disease severity. The researchers observed significant clinical improvements with both regimens, with faster initial responses in the induction group. Lower drug survival was seen in the induction group, possibly due to higher baseline disease burden and severity. Comorbidities were prevalent, especially in the induction group, and included metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular risks, and psychiatric conditions.

"While induction therapy appears to enhance initial PASI responses, meaningful long-term improvements can also be achieved without induction, particularly in patients with lower baseline disease activity," the authors write. "These findings underscore ixekizumab's versatility and durability as a therapeutic option, even in treatment-experienced populations."

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