Rheumatology and Therapy (Feb 2024)

Comparing Efficacy of Guselkumab versus Ustekinumab in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis: An Adjusted Comparison Using Individual Patient Data from the DISCOVER and PSUMMIT Trials

  • Pushpike Thilakarathne,
  • Agata Schubert,
  • Steve Peterson,
  • Wim Noel,
  • Barkha P. Patel,
  • Fareen Hassan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40744-024-00644-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 2
pp. 457 – 474

Abstract

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Abstract Introduction Two biologic therapies for psoriatic arthritis (PsA), guselkumab and ustekinumab, have demonstrated superior efficacy versus placebo in clinical trials. However, no head-to-head studies have been conducted comparing these two treatments for PsA. The objective was to indirectly compare guselkumab and ustekinumab on joint and skin efficacy up to week 52, using pooled individual patient-level data (IPD) from PsA trials. Methods IPD, including baseline characteristics, American College of Rheumatology (ACR) scores and Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) response from guselkumab (DISCOVER-1 and -2) and ustekinumab (PSUMMIT 1 and 2) trials were pooled. Differences in patient characteristics across trials were adjusted using multivariate logistic regression. Odds ratios (OR) were used to derive absolute response probabilities in the guselkumab trial population and were presented with 95% confidence intervals. Results Most baseline characteristics for guselkumab-treated patients (100 mg every 8 weeks [Q8W]; 100 mg every 4 weeks [Q4W]) were comparable to ustekinumab-treated patients (45/90 mg). In biologic-naïve patients, both guselkumab doses showed significantly higher ACR 20 (Q8W: 1.97; 1.37, 2.84; Q4W: 2.04; 1.40, 2.96) and PASI 90 (Q8W: 2.33; 1.52, 3.56; Q4W: 2.57; 1.67, 3.97) versus ustekinumab from week 16 onwards. In biologic-experienced patients, both guselkumab doses showed significantly higher ACR 20 (Q8W: 2.57; 1.11, 5.93; Q4W: 2.63; 1.12, 6.17) versus ustekinumab from week 24 onwards; for PASI 90, both guselkumab doses were superior to ustekinumab at week 16 and 52 (Q8W: 3.96; 1.39, 11.27; Q4W: 13.10; 4.18, 41.04). Guselkumab efficacy was similar and robust across primary, scenario, and sensitivity analyses. Conclusions IPD analysis demonstrated that both guselkumab doses were superior to ustekinumab for ACR 20 from weeks 16 (biologic-naïve) and 24 (biologic-experienced) onwards, and for PASI 90 at weeks 16 and 52 for both subgroups.

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