Brodalumab vs. Ustekinumab for Psoriasis

Both agents are very active against psoriatic skin disease, but brodalumab works more rapidly and is more effective.

The cytokine IL-17 is central to pathogenesis of psoriatic skin disease. Antibodies to IL-17 or to the IL-17 receptor (brodalumab) are approved or in late-stage clinical trials. Cytokine IL-23 has also been implicated in psoriasis; ustekinumab, an antibody to IL-23, is effective and FDA-approved for psoriasis. These authors conducted two phase III trials comparing brodalumab with ustekinumab and placebo in nearly 3500 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis.

At week 12, approximately 85% of 210-mg brodalumab recipients and 68% of 140-mg brodalumab recipients achieved at least a 75% reduction in the psoriasis area-and-severity index score (PASI 75), compared with 70% of ustekinumab recipients and 6% of placebo recipients. Signi…

Reviewing Author

Craig A. Elmets, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board Astellas Pharmaceuticals

EquityVaxin

Grant / Research support NIH; NIH/NCI; Veteran’s Administration; Ferndale Laboratories; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma, Inc.

Editorial boards Cancer Prevention Research; Photodermatology, Photoimmunology, & Photomedicine; UpToDate; eMedicine; Journal of Dermatological Sciences; JAMA Dermatology

Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Vice Chair, Committee on Science and Research); Photomedicine Society (Board of Directors)