Actelion's ponesimod does well in mid-stage psoriasis trial

Europe’s largest biotech firm Actelion (SIX: ATLN) says that its selective S1P1 modulator, ponesimod, successfully met the primary endpoint - the proportion of patients with at least 75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) from baseline (PASI75) at week 16 - in a double blind, placebo-controlled study conducted in 326 patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis. The drug has also shown promise in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (The Pharma Letter August 2, 2011).

Vontobel analyst Andrew Weiss quoted by Reuters noted there was stiff competition in the psoriasis field from Amgen's brodalumab, which showed a greater improvement in a mid-stage study published earlier this year. "We regard Amgen's brodalumab as (a) superior compound in the global psoriasis pipeline," Mr Weiss said, adding: "However, a strength of Actelion's compound is the oral route of administration." Brodalumab is injected.

Results of the primary endpoint were highly statistically significant with both tested doses. With ponesimod 20mg, 46% of patients improved by at least 75 % at week 16 (p<0.0001 versus placebo). With ponesimod 40mg, 48.1% of patients improved by at least 75% at week 16 (p<0.0001 versus placebo). An improvement by at least 75% was observed at week 16 in 13.4% of the placebo treated patients. Both doses were administered once daily. At the end of induction, ponesimod patients improving at least 50% or more in their PASI score at week 16 were re-randomized to either continuation of the same dose of ponesimod, or to placebo.