Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (J&J), has recently released new data on Tremfya (guselkumab), a monoclonal antibody that targets IL-23 in adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis (PsO).

Tremfya, the first approved IL-23 inhibitor in the US, has potential for various indications and is forecasted to generate $8.6 billion in global sales by 2029, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Mariam Shwea, Healthcare Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “J&J’s Tremfya is celebrated for its trailblazing nature, as the reported data revealed its ability to manage PsO symptoms over the long-term when compared to IL-17 inhibitors secukinumab and ixekizumab, and to lead to significant improvements in quality-of-life.”

The efficacy of Tremfya was reinforced by a real-world data analysis and the results of J&J’s randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active comparator-controlled Phase III VOYAGE 2 (NCT02207244) clinical trial results.

The drug exhibited greater treatment persistence and control of moderate-to-severe PsO symptoms compared to secukinumab and ixekizumab among bio-naïve and bio-experienced patients, and durable clinical efficacy and safety compared with a placebo and AbbVie’s Humira (adalimumab), a mega blockbuster and its direct competitor in the space.

Shwea adds: “The positive results, its distinctive mechanism of action targeting the p19 subunit of IL-23, and its proven efficacy in scalp PsO highlight Tremfya’s role as a valuable management and treatment option for patients with moderate-to-severe PsO.”

The data presented by Janssen at the 2023 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting underline the ability and potential of Tremfya to provide better long-term control of PsO symptoms when compared with Novartis’ secukinumab and Eli Lilly’s ixekizumab.

Shwea concludes: “Despite Tremfya’s established superiority and long-term efficacy over IL-17s as a standard-of-care for the treatment of PsO, concerns persist in the expanding clinical field. Solely targeting IL-23 may not address the involvement of other proinflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, for IL-17 inhibitors are indeed superior in achieving more rapid responses in moderate-to-severe cases. Thus, Tremfya’s limitations warrant continued research and development for it to eventually position itself as a leading drug in the ever-growing PsO space.”