Impressive Phase IIb data for MoonLake's sonelokimab

Newly-established Swiss biotech MoonLake Immunotherapeutics today announced that full results of a Phase IIb study of its tri-specific nanobody sonelokimab have been published in the prestigious journal The Lancet.

Sonelokimab, for which MoonLake gained rights to earlier this week from Merck KGaA (MRK: DE), is an investigational interleukin (IL)-17A/IL-17F inhibitor with an albumin binding site, which has the potential to facilitate deep tissue penetration in the skin and joints. It has clinically demonstrated potential to allow better disease control in dermatology and rheumatology patients. Sonelokimab showed impressive efficacy with a favorable safety profile, and numerically outperformed active control secukinumab, Novartis’ (NOVN: VX) Cosentyx.

In the study, dosages up to 120mg showed rapid and significant clinical benefit compared with placebo. In the highest dosage group, almost six out of 10 patients (57%) achieved total skin clearance (PASI 100 response) after 24 weeks. Rapid response was demonstrated with one of three patients already achieving almost clear skin (PASI 90 response) by week 4.