Janssen to take psoriasis prospect into Phase III trial

The Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) subsidiary Janssen has announced positive top-line results from its Phase IIb FRONTIER 1 trial of the first and only oral interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R) antagonist peptide, JNJ-2113, in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

All primary and secondary efficacy endpoints were achieved. A greater proportion of patients who received JNJ-2113 achieved PASI 75, the primary endpoint, as well as PASI 90 and PASI 100—75, 90 and 100% improvement in skin lesions as measured by the psoriasis area and severity index, respectively, compared to placebo, at week 16.

"The development of a novel oral therapy that specifically targets IL-23R could potentially change the treatment paradigm"Janssen is confident that the trial results for JNJ-2113 demonstrated a profile that supports its advancement into Phase III clinical development for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients.