PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS AND TREATMENT PERSISTENCE AMONG EARLY ADOPTERS OF BIMEKIZUMAB: A SWEDISH REGISTRY-BASED COHORT STUDY IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIASIS
Author(s)
Anna Ramond, MSc, MD1, Jessica Young, PhD2, Ana Filipa Macedo, PhD3, Fredh Netterström Wedin, MSc2, Gustaf Ortsäter, MSc2, Aijing Shang, PhD4.
1UCB Celltech, Slough, United Kingdom, 2Quantify Research, Stockholm, Sweden, 3UCB, Brussels, Belgium, 4UCB, Basel, Switzerland.
1UCB Celltech, Slough, United Kingdom, 2Quantify Research, Stockholm, Sweden, 3UCB, Brussels, Belgium, 4UCB, Basel, Switzerland.
OBJECTIVES: Bimekizumab, which inhibits interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-17F, received reimbursement approval in Sweden in December 2021 for patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and an inadequate response to/unsuitability for, tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. This study evaluated the characteristics and treatment persistence of early bimekizumab adopters (patients initiating bimekizumab following reimbursement approval) in Sweden.
METHODS: Adults with a first-ever filled bimekizumab prescription between December 2021 and September 2023 were identified in the National Prescribed Drug Register. Patients with recorded plaque psoriasis diagnoses (ICD-10: L400-L404, L408-L409) in specialist care at bimekizumab initiation were identified through the National Patient Register and included in the study. The primary objective was to describe patient characteristics, including biologic treatment/disease history, at treatment initiation using all available lookback. Six-month persistence was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier estimator (discontinuation after 90 days following end of supply; censoring at death/emigration/study end). Persistence analysis was limited to patients initiating bimekizumab before April 2023 to allow ≥6 months of potential follow-up.
RESULTS: Overall, 230 early bimekizumab adopters were included. At index, 135 (58.7%) were male; mean (standard deviation) age and time since first psoriasis-related specialist visit were 50.8 (15.0) and 11.2 (6.8) years, respectively. Common comorbidities recorded in specialist care were psoriatic arthritis (74 [32.2%]), hypertension (48 [20.9%]) and joint pain (44 [19.1%]). Almost all patients (211 [91.7%]) were biologic-experienced; 121 (52.6%) had received ≥2 biologics before initiating bimekizumab. Most common prior biologic classes were TNF/IL-17/IL-23 inhibitors (193 [83.9%]/91 [39.6%]/66 [28.7%], respectively). Among 145 patients included in the time-to-event analysis, six-month persistence (95% confidence intervals) was 82.8% (75.6%, 88.0%).
CONCLUSIONS: Early adopters of bimekizumab in Sweden had high comorbidity burden and treatment histories suggestive of treatment-resistant disease. Despite this, six-month persistence was high. Caution should be applied when considering these results relative to other data, given the potential channelling bias.
METHODS: Adults with a first-ever filled bimekizumab prescription between December 2021 and September 2023 were identified in the National Prescribed Drug Register. Patients with recorded plaque psoriasis diagnoses (ICD-10: L400-L404, L408-L409) in specialist care at bimekizumab initiation were identified through the National Patient Register and included in the study. The primary objective was to describe patient characteristics, including biologic treatment/disease history, at treatment initiation using all available lookback. Six-month persistence was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier estimator (discontinuation after 90 days following end of supply; censoring at death/emigration/study end). Persistence analysis was limited to patients initiating bimekizumab before April 2023 to allow ≥6 months of potential follow-up.
RESULTS: Overall, 230 early bimekizumab adopters were included. At index, 135 (58.7%) were male; mean (standard deviation) age and time since first psoriasis-related specialist visit were 50.8 (15.0) and 11.2 (6.8) years, respectively. Common comorbidities recorded in specialist care were psoriatic arthritis (74 [32.2%]), hypertension (48 [20.9%]) and joint pain (44 [19.1%]). Almost all patients (211 [91.7%]) were biologic-experienced; 121 (52.6%) had received ≥2 biologics before initiating bimekizumab. Most common prior biologic classes were TNF/IL-17/IL-23 inhibitors (193 [83.9%]/91 [39.6%]/66 [28.7%], respectively). Among 145 patients included in the time-to-event analysis, six-month persistence (95% confidence intervals) was 82.8% (75.6%, 88.0%).
CONCLUSIONS: Early adopters of bimekizumab in Sweden had high comorbidity burden and treatment histories suggestive of treatment-resistant disease. Despite this, six-month persistence was high. Caution should be applied when considering these results relative to other data, given the potential channelling bias.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
EPH146
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health, Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Safety & Pharmacoepidemiology
Disease
No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas, Sensory System Disorders (Ear, Eye, Dental, Skin)