AbbVie's Skyrizi bests Stelara in Crohn's trial

US pharma major AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) has scored another success with its next-generation anti-inflammation drug Skyrizi (risankizumab), with new data showing its drug matched, and even exceeded, the performance of a rival in the treatment of Crohn’s disease, Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE: JNJ) Stelara (ustekinumab).

In the Phase III SEQUENCE clinical trial, the results of the first primary endpoint, clinical remission (per Crohn's Disease Activity Index [CDAI], defined as CDAI <150) at week 24, met non-inferiority of risankizumab versus ustekinumab (non-inferiority margin of 10%); remission rates were 59% in risankizumab group and 40% in ustekinumab group.

The results of the second primary endpoint, endoscopic remission (SES-CD ≤4 and at least a 2-point reduction versus baseline and no sub-score greater than 1 in any individual component) at week 48 met superiority of risankizumab versus ustekinumab. Moreover, AbbVie onted that remission rates were 32% in risankizumab group and 16% in ustekinumab group (p <0.0001).