WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 -- For patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, risankizumab treatment is associated with high levels of clear and clear/almost clear skin and significant reductions in symptoms at one year after initiation, according to a study published online Sept. 20 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Bruce Strober, M.D., Ph.D., from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and colleagues examined the real-world treatment effectiveness of risankizumab in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in a retrospective observational study conducted using the CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry. Skin clearance measures and patient-reported outcomes were analyzed overall and in subgroups based on prior biologic treatment.

The researchers found that most of the 287 patients with persistent risankizumab use at one year achieved clear or clear/almost clear skin and reported significant reductions in Dermatology Life Quality Index scores, symptoms of psoriasis (fatigue, skin pain, overall itch), and impairment of work and activity.

"This analysis provides real-world evidence to support the use of risankizumab for patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, regardless of prior biologic treatment history," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to biopharmaceutical companies, including CorEvitas LLC, which funded the study, and AbbVie, which manufactures risankizumab and funded the analysis.