Introduction
Mirikizumab, an anti-IL-23p19 antibody, has demonstrated efficacy and safety in moderately-to-severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) Phase 3 trials (LUCENT-1 and -2; NCT03518086, NCT03524092). A treatment goal for patients with UC is corticosteroid (CS)-free remission. We assessed the CS-sparing effect of mirikizumab among the extended induction patient population receiving CS at induction baseline.
Aims & Methods
In LUCENT-1, patients in the modified intention to treat mirikizumab group (n=868) received mirikizumab 300 mg intravenously (IV) at Week (W)0, W4, and W8. Patients receiving mirikizumab on CS at baseline (n=351) remained on their stable baseline dose (prednisone ≤20 mg/day or equivalent, budesonide MMX 9 mg/day, or beclomethasone 5 mg/day) during induction (W0 to W12). Patients not achieving clinical response (≥2-point and ≥30% decrease in Modified Mayo Score from baseline; and rectal bleeding=0 or 1, or ≥1-point decrease from baseline) at W12 (n=272) entered LUCENT-2 open label (OL) extended induction and received 300 mg mirikizumab IV at W12, W16, and W20. Extended induction responders at W24 (n=144) entered OL maintenance and received 200mg mirikizumab subcutaneously (SC) Q4W until W52. CS taper was initiated if clinical response was achieved at W24 or earlier based on investigator discretion if symptomatic improvement was evident. Patients who discontinued CS and remained off throughout the study were considered “discontinued.” Descriptive statistics for efficacy outcomes were summarized. Missing data were imputed as non-response.
Results
Of the 272 mirikizumab patients in the extended induction population, 118 received CS at induction baseline. The mean prednisone equivalent dose was 15mg. At W24, among the 62/118 (52.5%) who achieved clinical response and continued with maintenance, 8 (12.9%) discontinued CS, 2 (3.2%) achieved clinical remission off CS, and 8 (12.9%) achieved symptomatic remission off CS. At W52, 43/62 (69.4%) of the extended induction responders discontinued CS, 18 (29.0%) achieved clinical remission off CS, and 37 (59.7%) achieved symptomatic remission off CS. Among patients with non-missing data who completed W52 of mirikizumab treatment, 89.6% had discontinued CS (Table).
Table. Corticosteroid-Sparing Effect of Mirikizumab in Extended Induction Population Receiving Corticosteroids at Induction Baseline
| | | Mirikizumab Extended Induction Respondersa (N=62)
|
Observed n/Nx (%) | NRI n (%) |
Week 24 | Clinical remissionb and off CS | 2/62 (3.2) | 2 (3.2) |
| Symptomatic remissionc and off CS | 8/62 (12.9) | 8 (12.9) |
| Discontinued CSd | 8/53 (15.1) | 8 (12.9) |
Week 52 | Clinical remissionb and off CS | 18/50 (36.0) | 18 (29.0) |
| Symptomatic remissionc and off CS | 37/52 (71.2) | 37 (59.7) |
| CS-free remissione | 16/49 (32.7) | 16 (25.8) |
Discontinued CSd
| 43/48 (89.6) | 43 (69.4) |
Abbreviations: CS=corticosteroid; N =number of patients in analysis population; n=number of patients in the specified category; NRI=non-responder imputation; Nx=number of patients with non-missing values a Patients without response at week 12 treated with mirikizumab extended induction and responded at week 24. Clinical response defined as ≥2-point and ≥30% decrease in Modified Mayo Score from baseline; and rectal bleeding=0 or 1, or ≥1-point decrease from baseline b Defined as stool frequency subscore=0 or 1 with ≥1-point decrease from induction baseline, a rectal bleeding subscore=0, and an endoscopic subscore=0 or 1 (excluding friability) c Defined as stool frequency subscore=0 or 1 with ≥1-point decrease from induction baseline, a rectal bleeding subscore=0 d Patients discontinued CS and remained off through Week 52 e Clinical remission at Week 52 + symptomatic remission at Week 40 + off CS for ≥12 weeks |
Conclusion
Nearly 70% of extended induction responders discontinued CS by W52. CS-sparing effect of mirikizumab in patients with moderately-to-severely active UC is clinically meaningful and aligns with the treatment goal of CS discontinuation.
Disclosure
DL declares counseling, boards, transports or fees from Abbvie, Biogaran, Biogen, Ferring, HAC-pharma, Janssen, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Prometheus, Roche, Takeda, Theradiag, Tillots.
CS reports advisory board and consultant fees for Abbvie, BMS, Lilly, Janssen, Pfizer, Prometheus, Takeda and Trellus Health; speaker for CME activities for Abbvie, Janssen, Pfizer and Takeda; received grant support from Abbvie, Janssen, Pfizer and Takeda; intellectual property for a “System and Method of Communicating Predicted Medical Outcomes”; co-founder of MiTest Health, LLC (software company) that has technology (PROSPECT/CDPATH) that has been licensed to Takeda.
PD reports consulting fees from Johnson and Johnson, Gilead, Lilly, BMS, Novartis, Pfizer, and Takeda; financial support for research from Takeda and Pfizer; stock options for DigbiHealth; and licensing royalties from PreciDiag.
KM has received speaker fees and research grants from AbbVie, EA Pharma, Mochida, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, ZERIA, Nippon Kayaku, and JIMRO; speaker fees from Takeda, Janssen, Pfizer, Kyorin, Kissei, Gilead, Eli Lilly, and Celltrion Healthcare.
JPG has served as speaker, consultant, and advisory member for or has received research funding from MSD, Abbvie, Pfizer, Kern Pharma, Biogen, Mylan, Takeda, Janssen, Roche, Sandoz, Celgene/Bristol Myers, Gilead/Galapagos, Lilly, Ferring, Faes Farma, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Dr Falk Pharma, Tillotts Pharma, Chiesi, Casen Fleet, Gebro Pharma, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Norgine and Vifor Pharma.
KHS, IR,SB are employees and minor shareholders of Eli Lilly and Company
JP is an employee of Syneos Health and contractor for Eli Lilly and Company
VJ has received consulting/advisory board fees from AbbVie, Alimentiv Inc. (formerly Robarts Clinical Trials), Arena Pharmaceuticals, Asieris, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celltrion, Eli Lilly, Ferring, Fresenius Kabi, Galapagos, GlaxoSmithKline, Genentech, Gilead, Janssen, Merck, Mylan, Pandion, Pendopharm, Pfizer, Reistone Biopharma, Roche, Sandoz, Takeda and TopiVert, and speaker’s fees from AbbVie, Ferring, Galapagos, Janssen, Pfizer, Shire and Takeda.