New research in The Lancet Rheumatology indicates that IL-12/23 inhibitors or IL-23 inhibitors may decrease the risk of inflammatory arthritis progression in psoriasis patients compared to TNF inhibitors. The study underscores the potential of targeted biological therapies in delaying psoriatic arthritis onset, given the lower efficacy of biologics in joint symptom control.

Examining data from 15,501 newly prescribed FDA-approved biologic users with psoriasis in the US, the study revealed a notably lower risk of developing inflammatory arthritis in patients treated with IL-12/23 inhibitors or IL-23 inhibitors versus TNF inhibitors. Sensitivity analyses consistently supported these results, with IL-12/23 inhibitors demonstrating consistent findings across all analyses and IL-23 inhibitors showing persistent results in three of six sensitivity analyses. While shedding light on specific biological pathways’ association with inflammatory arthritis risk, the study acknowledges potential limitations, such as undercoding of inflammatory arthritis and clinician preferences affecting treatment selection.

Reference: Melillo G. Drugs Affecting the IL-23 Pathway May Lower Risk of Psoriatic, Inflammatory Arthritis From Psoriasis. AJMC. Updated May 10, 2023. Accessed April 29, 2024. https://www.ajmc.com/view/drugs-affecting-the-il-23-pathway-may-lower-risk-of-psoriatic-inflammatory-arthritis-from-psoriasis