Risankizumab treatment in psoriasis patients who failed anti‐IL17: A 52‐week real‐life study

Recent knowledge on the key role of interleukin (IL) 23/17 axis in psoriasis pathogenesis, led to development of new biologic drugs. Risankizumab is a humanized immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody specifically targeting IL23. Its efficacy and safety were showed by both clinical trials and real‐life experiences. However, real‐life data on effectiveness and safety of risankizumab in patients who previously failed anti‐IL17 are scant. To assess the efficacy and safety of risankizumab in patients who previously failed anti‐IL17. A 52‐week real‐life retrospective study was performed to assess the long‐term efficacy and safety of risankizumab in patients who previously failed anti‐IL17. A total of 39 patients (26 male, 66.7%; mean age 50.5 ± 13.7 years) were enrolled. A statistically significant reduction of psoriasis area severity index (PASI) and body surface area (BSA) was assessed at each follow‐up (PASI at baseline vs. week 52: 13.7 ± 5.8 vs. 0.9 ± 0.8, p < 0.0001; BSA 21.9 ± 14.6 vs. 1.9 ± 1.7, p < 0.0001). Nail psoriasis severity index improved as well, being statistically significative only at week 16 and thereafter [9.3 ± 4.7 at baseline, 4.1 ± 2.4 (p < 0.01) at week 16, 1.4 ± 0.8 (p < 0.0001) at week 52]. Treatment was discontinued for primary and secondary inefficacy in 1(2.6%) and 3(7.7%) patients, respectively. No cases of serious adverse events were assessed. Our real‐life study confirmed the efficacy and safety of risankizumab, suggesting it as a valuable therapeutic weapon among the armamentarium of biologics, also in psoriasis patients who previously failed anti‐IL17 treatments.