Bimekizumab Shows Durable Psoriasis Clearance and 3-Year HS Control

Key Takeaways

• Bimekizumab was shown to have a durable response in head-to-head psoriasis trial data presented at AAD 2026.
• Early efficacy within 16 weeks remains a critical assessment window for joint outcomes and long-term disease control, researchers noted.
• Analysis co-author April Armstrong, MD, emphasized the importance of getting control of the disease early in treatment.
• Additional data for hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) indicated long-term efficacy and disease control with bimekizumab. 

New analyses from the BE RADIANT and BE VIVID trials presented at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting in Denver (AAD) showed the durability of response with bimekizumab (Bimzelx; UCB) in treating plaque psoriasis, alongside positive long-term findings in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). 

Results of a post hoc analyses showed 62.6% and 64.9% of patients, respectively, achieved National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF)-defined on-treatment remission during the first year, highlighting the durability of bimekizumab's ability to maintain high levels of skin clearance over time, accoring to a statement from the manufacturer. Additional data from the BE READY and BE BRIGHT studies showed retreatment outcomes following treatment interruption. Among patients who experienced relapse, 83.6% achieved complete skin clearance (PASI 100) by year 4 after reinitiating bimekizumab.

April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH, professor and chief of dermatology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a study coauthor, told Practical Dermatology that such data contribute to clinical decision-making across an increasingly complex therapeutic landscape.

“Head-to-head studies are particularly valuable in psoriatic arthritis because they help us move beyond placebo-controlled data and better understand how therapies perform relative to one another in clinically meaningful ways,” she said. "Comparing different mechanism, such as IL-17 pathway inhibition and IL-23 inhibition, can provide insight into how these pathways translate into joint outcomes, which remain a central treatment goal in PsA. These types of studies can help inform treatment selection in practice, especially when multiple effective options are available. Ultimately, having comparative data allows clinicians to make more nuanced decisions based on efficacy, patient characteristics, and treatment priorities.”

Dr. Armstrong also emphasized the importance of early response in psoriatic disease. 

“In psoriatic arthritis, early efficacy is particularly important because of the potential for ongoing joint inflammation to contribute to structural damage over time,” she told Practical Dermatology. “I think of the first 16 weeks as an important window to assess whether a therapy is working well, but it’s equally important to consider sustained disease control over time.”

HS Treatment Data

UCB also presented new 3-year data from post hoc analyses of the BE HEARD I and II trials and their open-label extension (BE HEARD EXT) indicating sustained efficacy with bimekizumab. Among patients who completed week 148 (N = 367), 86.1% (316/367) remained free from acute exacerbations (defined as a ≥25% increase in abscess and inflammatory nodule count with an absolute increase of ≥2 lesions) at any scheduled visit through three years.

Outcomes appeared more favorable with earlier intervention and lower baseline disease burden, according to the press release. Patients in the lowest disease duration quartile (< 2.38 years) with moderate disease (Hurley Stage II) achieved HiSCR90 and HiSCR100 rates of 74.1% and 62.1%, respectively, vs 51.5% and 33.3% among those with longer disease duration (≥10.74 years) and severe disease (Hurley Stage III). Efficacy was observed across subgroups, including age, sex, BMI, and baseline severity, with clinical responses maintained through three years. 

“Over eighty percent of people living with HS experience periodic worsening of symptoms, or flares, at least once a month, which can impose an enormous strain on their lives,” said Dr. Steven Daveluy, Department of Dermatology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, in a press release. “The data at AAD showed that nearly ninety percent of patients treated with bimekizumab had no acute exacerbations of symptoms at scheduled visits for up to three years, indicating its potential ability to provide durable, long-term control.”