Analyst sees competitive edge for Taltz over rivals in psoriasis

US pharma major Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) recently published results from its head-to-head clinical study showing that its interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitor Taltz (ixekizumab) has superiority versus Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) subsidiary Janssen’s Tremfya (guselkumab) in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis patients.

Based on these results, IL-17 biologics have the potential to cast a shadow over the IL-23 biologics within the psoriasis market, according to analytics firm GlobalData.

Vikesh Devlia, pharma analyst at GlobalData, comments: “With this being the first class–versus-class, head-to-head study demonstrating full skin clearance as a primary endpoint, it could be translated for Eli Lilly as a competitive edge in a fiercely competitive psoriasis market. Furthermore, Taltz is directly competing with Novartis’ [NOVN: VX] Cosentyx [secukinumab] to be the top selling drug in the IL-17 class. However, Tremfya has been carving a space for itself in the psoriasis market and a head-to-head study in December 2018 showed that Tremfya was superior to Cosentyx and 84.5% of patients treated with Tremfya achieved a score of 90 on the PASI index compared to 70% of patients treated with Cosentyx.”