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BARCELONA - Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE:JNJ) Tremfya demonstrated significant ability to inhibit joint structural damage progression in patients with active psoriatic arthritis compared to placebo, according to data from the Phase 3b APEX study presented Wednesday at the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology Congress.
The study showed Tremfya reduced progression of joint structural damage by two and a half times compared to placebo at 24 weeks. Patients receiving Tremfya every four weeks or every eight weeks showed mean changes from baseline in the modified van der Heijde-Sharp score of 0.55 and 0.54 respectively, versus 1.35 in the placebo group.
Additionally, 67% of patients on the four-week dosing and 63% on the eight-week dosing experienced no radiographic progression, compared to 53% in the placebo group.
The treatment also demonstrated efficacy in improving joint and skin symptoms. Approximately 67-68% of Tremfya-treated patients achieved ACR20 response at Week 24 versus 47% for placebo. More than 40% of patients across both Tremfya dose groups achieved ACR50, compared to 20% receiving placebo.
"The results of the APEX study are promising as the data show guselkumab to be the only IL-23 inhibitor in its class that has inhibited the progression of structural damage in patients," said Philip J. Mease, study investigator and Director of Rheumatology Research at the Swedish Medical Center.
The safety profile was consistent with previous findings, with no new safety signals identified, according to the company’s press release statement.
Tremfya is the first fully-human monoclonal antibody approved to treat psoriatic arthritis that blocks IL-23 while also binding to CD64, a receptor on cells that produce IL-23.
In other recent news, Johnson & Johnson reported significant findings from its CARTITUDE-1 study, revealing that 33% of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma treated with CARVYKTI experienced progression-free survival for five years or longer. These results highlight CARVYKTI’s potential as a long-lasting treatment option, with additional data from the CARTITUDE-4 study supporting its benefits across various patient subgroups. In parallel, Johnson & Johnson presented promising initial results from a Phase 1 trial of its trispecific antibody, JNJ-5322, which showed an overall response rate of 86.1% among patients. The company also announced positive outcomes from its Phase 3 ICONIC-TOTAL study on icotrokinra, a new oral peptide for treating plaque psoriasis, demonstrating significant skin clearance in treated patients.
Additionally, Leerink Partners downgraded Johnson & Johnson’s stock from Outperform to Market Perform, citing concerns over potential price controls on Darzalex Faspro, which could impact future earnings. In corporate governance news, Daniel Pinto, President of JPMorgan Chase, was elected to Johnson & Johnson’s Board of Directors, bringing extensive financial expertise to the company. These developments reflect Johnson & Johnson’s ongoing efforts in advancing its treatment portfolio and addressing emerging market challenges.
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