Sonelokimab for Psoriatic Arthritis

(IZAR-1 Trial)

Recruiting at 25 trial locations

Overseen By Moonlake Clinical Trial Helpdesk

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 3

Sponsor: MoonLake Immunotherapeutics AG

Must not be taking: Biologics

Disqualifiers: Inflammatory bowel disease, Arthritis mutilans, others

Pivotal Trial (Near Approval) This treatment is in the last trial phase before FDA approval

Prior Safety Data This treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 4

Duration: 16 weeks

960 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This is a study to demonstrate the clinical efficacy and safety of sonelokimab administered subcutaneously compared with placebo in the treatment of adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis who are naive to biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, it does mention that participants should not have used biologic treatments for psoriatic arthritis before.

What evidence supports the effectiveness of the drug Sonelokimab for treating psoriatic arthritis?

Sonelokimab, which targets both IL-17A and IL-17F, has shown promising results in early studies for psoriasis, and similar dual-targeting drugs like bimekizumab have demonstrated effectiveness in treating psoriatic arthritis. This suggests that Sonelokimab may also be effective for psoriatic arthritis. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What is known about the safety of Sonelokimab in humans?

Sonelokimab has been studied in phase I and II trials for psoriasis, showing promising safety results. These studies suggest it is generally safe for human use, although more research is needed to confirm its safety across different conditions. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

How is the drug Sonelokimab different from other treatments for psoriatic arthritis?

Sonelokimab is unique because it is a trivalent nanobody that targets both IL-17A and IL-17F, which are proteins involved in inflammation, using a novel approach derived from camelid antibodies. This dual targeting could potentially offer better disease control compared to treatments that only target one of these proteins. ^{1 3 7 8 9}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults over 18 with active psoriatic arthritis who haven't used biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. They must have a confirmed diagnosis, at least 3 tender and swollen joints, and current or past plaque psoriasis but can't test positive for rheumatoid factor or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide.

Inclusion Criteria

I currently have plaque psoriasis or a doctor has confirmed I've had it before.

Participants test negative for both rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide at the Screening Visit

I have been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis for at least 6 months.

Exclusion Criteria

I have a chronic inflammatory condition, but it's not psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis.

Participants with a known hypersensitivity to sonelokimab or any of its excipients

I have been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive sonelokimab or placebo subcutaneously, with some receiving an induction regimen followed by maintenance dosing every 4 weeks

16 weeks

4 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Sonelokimab

Trial Overview The study tests the effectiveness and safety of sonelokimab versus a placebo in treating psoriatic arthritis. Sonelokimab is given as an injection under the skin to patients who are new to biological treatments.

Participant Groups

Group I: sonelokimab dose without an induction regimen Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Subjects randomized to this arm will receive sonelokimab subcutaneously every 4 weeks.

Group II: sonelokimab dose with an induction regimen Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Subjects randomized to this arm will receive sonelokimab subcutaneously (SC) as an induction regimen of 4 doses, followed by sonelokimab SC every 4 weeks maintenance dosing starting at Week 8.

Group III: Placebo Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Subjects randomized to this arm will receive placebo subcutaneously.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

MoonLake Immunotherapeutics AG

Lead Sponsor

Trials

7

Recruited

2,800+

Findings from Research

Bimekizumab, a dual inhibitor targeting both IL-17A and IL-17F, has shown efficacy and safety in treating psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis across multiple phases of clinical trials (I, II, and III).

Sonelokimab, a trivalent nanobody also targeting IL-17A and IL-17F, has demonstrated promising results in early phase studies for psoriasis, indicating potential for effective treatment options in these chronic immune-mediated disorders.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dual inhibition of IL-17A and IL-17F in psoriatic disease. Iznardo, H., Puig, L.[2021]

In a phase III trial with 417 patients suffering from active psoriatic arthritis, ixekizumab significantly improved disease activity, with 62.1% of patients on the 80 mg every 2 weeks regimen achieving an ACR20 response compared to only 30.2% in the placebo group.

While ixekizumab showed efficacy in reducing disease symptoms and preventing structural damage, it also had a higher rate of treatment-emergent adverse events (65.7-66.4%) compared to placebo (47.2%), indicating a need for careful monitoring of side effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ixekizumab, an interleukin-17A specific monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of biologic-naive patients with active psoriatic arthritis: results from the 24-week randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled and active (adalimumab)-controlled period of the phase III trial SPIRIT-P1. Mease, PJ., van der Heijde, D., Ritchlin, CT., et al.[2022]

In a phase 2b study involving 206 patients with active psoriatic arthritis, bimekizumab significantly improved symptoms compared to placebo, with higher response rates observed in the 16 mg and 160 mg dosage groups.

The safety profile of bimekizumab was acceptable, with most adverse events being mild or moderate, and no serious complications like deaths or inflammatory bowel disease reported, supporting further investigation in phase 3 trials.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Bimekizumab in patients with active psoriatic arthritis: results from a 48-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging phase 2b trial. Ritchlin, CT., Kavanaugh, A., Merola, JF., et al.[2020]

In a study of 42 patients with active psoriatic arthritis, secukinumab showed greater clinical responses and improvements in quality of life compared to placebo, particularly at weeks 12 and 24, despite not meeting the primary endpoint at week 6.

The safety profile of secukinumab was comparable to placebo, with a similar frequency of adverse events, indicating that it is a safe option for patients with psoriatic arthritis.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy and safety of secukinumab, a fully human anti-interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody, in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriatic arthritis: a 24-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II proof-of-concept trial. McInnes, IB., Sieper, J., Braun, J., et al.[2022]

Bimekizumab, a dual inhibitor antibody targeting both IL-17A and IL-17F, shows promising results in treating psoriatic arthritis, outperforming both placebo and treatments that inhibit IL-17A alone, based on a Phase 2b trial.

Early data from open-label extensions indicate that bimekizumab is safe and maintains its effectiveness, with Phase III trials currently underway to further evaluate its efficacy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An Overview of Bimekizumab for the Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis: The Evidence so Far. Oliveira, DG., Faria, R., Torres, T.[2023]

Brodalumab, an IL-17 antagonist approved for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, has a safety profile similar to other IL-17 treatments, based on data from phase II and III clinical trials.

While common adverse events include nasopharyngitis and upper respiratory infections, a significant concern arose from six reported suicides among patients, leading to a black box warning, although no direct causal link was established.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Brodalumab: A Review of Safety. Rusta-Sallehy, S., Gooderham, M., Papp, K.[2019]

In a phase 2b trial involving 313 participants with moderate to severe plaque-type psoriasis, sonelokimab demonstrated significant efficacy, with 48.1% of patients in the 30 mg group and up to 88.2% in the 120 mg augmented load group achieving clear or almost clear skin (IGA score of 0 or 1) at week 12, compared to 0% in the placebo group.

Sonelokimab exhibited a safety profile comparable to secukinumab, with mostly mild to moderate adverse events, and a notable incidence of manageable Candida infections in the sonelokimab group, indicating it is a safe treatment option for psoriasis.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

IL17A/F nanobody sonelokimab in patients with plaque psoriasis: a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2b study. Papp, KA., Weinberg, MA., Morris, A., et al.[2022]

In a study involving 1414 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and 1164 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), secukinumab demonstrated a very low incidence of treatment-emergent antidrug antibodies (TE-ADA), with only 0.35% in PsA and 0.69% in AS patients, indicating good immunogenicity safety.

The presence of TE-ADA did not affect the pharmacokinetics or efficacy of secukinumab, suggesting that the treatment remains effective even in patients who develop these antibodies, and no adverse events were linked to TE-ADA.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Secukinumab Immunogenicity over 52 Weeks in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis. Deodhar, A., Gladman, DD., McInnes, IB., et al.[2022]

Secukinumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-17A, has shown strong efficacy in treating moderate to severe psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis, with a favorable safety profile based on data from 2800 patients in the SERENA study.

The SERENA study, which includes patients who have been on secukinumab for an average of one year, aims to provide insights into the long-term effectiveness and safety of the treatment in real-world settings, confirming that the baseline demographics align with existing literature.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Secukinumab Use in Patients with Moderate to Severe Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis in Real-World Setting in Europe: Baseline Data from SERENA Study. Kiltz, U., Sfikakis, PP., Gaffney, K., et al.[2021]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dual inhibition of IL-17A and IL-17F in psoriatic disease. [2021]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ixekizumab, an interleukin-17A specific monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of biologic-naive patients with active psoriatic arthritis: results from the 24-week randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled and active (adalimumab)-controlled period of the phase III trial SPIRIT-P1. [2022]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Bimekizumab in patients with active psoriatic arthritis: results from a 48-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging phase 2b trial. [2020]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy and safety of secukinumab, a fully human anti-interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody, in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriatic arthritis: a 24-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II proof-of-concept trial. [2022]

5. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An Overview of Bimekizumab for the Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis: The Evidence so Far. [2023]

6. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Brodalumab: A Review of Safety. [2019]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

IL17A/F nanobody sonelokimab in patients with plaque psoriasis: a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2b study. [2022]

8. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Secukinumab Immunogenicity over 52 Weeks in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis. [2022]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Secukinumab Use in Patients with Moderate to Severe Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis in Real-World Setting in Europe: Baseline Data from SERENA Study. [2021]