Bimekizumab Not Linked with Depression, Suicidal Ideation in Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis

The analysis included nine phase 2 and phase 3 trials.

A new analysis indicates that bimekizumab was not associated with a high risk of suicidal ideation/behavior (SIB) and depression.

Psoriasis patients often face increased risks of SIB and depression, according to the researchers. Bimekizumab, an FDA-approved biologic inhibiting interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-17F, has shown efficacy in treating moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, receiving both FDA and EMA approvals.

They conducted a study aimed to assess SIB and depression occurrences in psoriasis patients treated with bimekizumab across nine different clinical trials. Researchers actively monitored mental health by using the electronic Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (eC-SSRS) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), which was overseen by an independent committee.

According to the results, which included more than 7,000 patient-years of bimekizumab exposure, there was a low adjudicated SIB rate that was comparable to or lower than rates observed in the general psoriasis population and in patients treated with other biologics targeting IL-17A/IL-23. Additionally, a significant proportion of bimekizumab-treated patients showed improvement in depression symptoms versus those on placebo. Study limitations included patient exclusion for significant pre-existing SIB/depression history.

Source: Blauvelt A, et al. Mental health outcomes in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis treated with bimekizumab: Analysis of phase 2/3 randomized trials. J Am Academ Dermatol. 2024;doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2024.02.039