Efficacy of risankizumab induction and maintenance therapy by baseline Crohn's disease location: Post hoc analysis of the Phase 3 ADVANCE, MOTIVATE, and FORTIFY studies

Background and Aim: In patients with Crohn's disease (CD), disease location affects treatment outcomes.1 This post hoc analysis assessed the efficacy of risankizumab (RZB), an interleukin-23 p19 inhibitor, by disease location. Method(s): In the ADVANCE (NCT03105128) and MOTIVATE (NCT03104413) studies, patients with moderately to severely active CD and intolerance or inadequate response to conventional and/or biologic therapy (ADVANCE) or to biologic therapy (MOTIVATE) received intravenous (IV) RZB induction therapy or placebo (PBO) for 12 weeks. Patients achieving clinical response to IV RZB induction were re-randomized in a maintenance study (FORTIFY, NCT03105102) to receive subcutaneous (SC) RZB or SC PBO (i.e. withdrawal) for 52 weeks. This post hoc analysis included patients who received RZB 600 mg IV in either ADVANCE or MOTIVATE and patients who received RZB 360 mg SC in FORTIFY. Clinical and endoscopic outcomes were evaluated in patient subgroups stratified by CD location at baseline (ileal only, colonic only, ileal-colonic) using nonresponder imputation incorporating multiple imputation to handle missing data due to COVID-19. Result(s): At Week 12, significantly greater proportions of patients receiving RZB 600 mg IV achieved the co-primary endpoints of CD Activity Index (CDAI)-based clinical remission and endoscopic response compared with PBO in the colonic only (n = 190) and ileal-colonic (n = 252) subgroups (P < 0.001). At Week 12, statistically higher proportions of RZB-treated patients achieved the composite endpoint of CDAI clinical remission and endoscopic response, as well as endoscopic remission, in the colonic only and ileal-colonic subgroups compared with PBO (P < 0.001). At Week 52, significantly greater proportions of patients receiving RZB 360 mg SC achieved the co-primary endpoints of CDAI clinical remission and endoscopic response, composite CDAI clinical remission and endoscopic response, and endoscopic remission, compared with withdrawal (PBO SC) in the colonic only (n = 59) and ileal-colonic (n = 67) subgroups (P <= 0.05;Fig. 1a-1d). In patients with endoscopic remission after 12 weeks of IV RZB (Week 0 of maintenance), significantly more RZB-treated patients achieved sustained endoscopic remission at Week 52 compared with withdrawal (PBO SC) in the colonic only and ileal-colonic subgroups (P <= 0.01;Fig. 1e). At Weeks 12 and 52, efficacy rates were numerically lower in ileal-only CD relative to colonic-only and ileal-colonic CD. Results for ileal-only CD are limited by the small number of patients in this subgroup (induction, 85;maintenance, 15). Conclusion(s): RZB induction and maintenance therapy was effective in patients with moderately to severely active CD, with greater benefits observed in patients with any colonic involvement.

SHORTER DISEASE DURATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH BETTER OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH MODERATELY TO SEVERELY ACTIVE CROHN'S DISEASE TREATED WITH RISANKIZUMAB: RESULTS FROM THE PHASE 3 ADVANCE, MOTIVATE, AND FORTIFY STUDIES

Background: An association between shorter disease duration and improved clinical efficacy has been shown in post hoc analyses of clinical trial data with biological therapies in Crohn’s disease (CD). The efficacy and safety of risankizumab (RZB) as induction and maintenance therapy have been recently reported.1,2 Here, the efficacy of RZB stratified by baseline CD duration is reported. Methods: In ADVANCE (NCT03105128) and MOTIVATE (NCT03104413), patients with moderately to severely active CD received intravenous (IV) RZB induction therapy or placebo (PBO) for 12 weeks. Patients with clinical response to RZB IV induction were re-randomised in a 52-week maintenance study (FORTIFY NCT03105102) to receive subcutaneous (SC) RZB or PBO (ie, withdrawal). For this posthoc analysis, patient subgroups were stratified by years of CD duration at baseline (< 2, 2– 5, > 5–10, and > 10 years). Induction analyses focused on patients who received RZB 600 mg IV or PBO for 12 weeks. As all patients who entered maintenance responded to RZB IV induction, maintenance analyses were limited to those patients who responded to induction and then received RZB 360 mg SC for 52 weeks. Clinical and endoscopic outcomes were evaluated using nonresponder imputation incorporating multiple imputation to handle missing data due to impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Safety was assessed throughout the studies. Results: The induction and maintenance analyses included 527 patients who received RZB 600 mg IV and 141 patients who received RZB 360 mg SC, respectively. At the end of induction (week 12), patients with CD duration of < 2 years achieved higher rates of endoscopic outcomes with IV RZB induction vs patients with longer durations of disease (Figure 1), and regardless of baseline CD duration, greater proportions of RZB-treated patients achieved clinical remission (defined by stool frequency and abdominal pain), endoscopic response, endoscopic remission, and ulcer-free endoscopy vs PBO (P ≤ .05). Clinical remission rates at week 12 were numerically higher in patients with CD duration of < 5 years vs > 5 years (Figure 1). Similar results for improved clinical and endoscopic outcomes associated with shorter disease duration were observed at week 52 with RZB 360 mg SC maintenance treatment (Figure 2). RZB was well tolerated with lower rates of serious adverse events and serious infections vs PBO in induction, across CD duration subgroups. Conclusions: RZB induction and maintenance therapy was effective and well tolerated with a safety profile generally similar across CD duration subgroups. Achievement of clinical and endoscopic endpoints were higher in patients with shorter duration of CD, suggesting that earlier introduction of RZB therapy may lead to improved outcomes.

Efficacy of risankizumab induction and maintenance therapy by baseline Crohn's Disease location: Post hoc analysis of the phase 3 ADVANCE, MOTIVATE, and FORTIFY studies

Background: In Crohn's disease (CD), disease location affects treatment outcomes.1 This post hoc analysis assessed the efficacy of risankizumab (RZB), an interleukin 23 p19 inhibitor, by disease location. Methods: In ADVANCE (NCT03105128) and MOTIVATE (NCT03104413), patients with moderately to severely active CD and intolerance or inadequate response to conventional and/or biologic therapy (ADVANCE) or to biologic therapy (MOTIVATE) received intravenous (IV) RZB induction therapy or placebo (PBO) for 12 weeks. Patients achieving clinical response to IV RZB induction were re-randomised in a maintenance study (FORTIFY, NCT03105102) to receive subcutaneous (SC) RZB or SC PBO (ie, withdrawal) for 52 weeks. This post hoc analysis included patients who received RZB 600 mg IV in either ADVANCE or MOTIVATE and patients who received RZB 360 mg SC in FORTIFY. Clinical and endoscopic outcomes were evaluated in patient subgroups stratified by CD location at baseline (ileal only, colonic only, ileal-colonic) using non-responder imputation incorporating multiple imputation to handle missing data due to COVID-19. Results: At week 12, significantly greater proportions of patients receiving RZB 600 mg IV achieved the co-primary endpoints CD Activity Index (CDAI) clinical remission and endoscopic response vs PBO in the colonic only (n = 190) and ileal-colonic (n = 252) subgroups (P < .001;Figure 1A-1B). At week 12, statistically higher proportions of RZB-treated patients achieved the composite endpoint CDAI clinical remission and endoscopic response, as well as endoscopic remission in the colonic only and ileal-colonic subgroups vs PBO (P < .001;Figure 1C-1D). At week 52, significantly greater proportions of patients receiving RZB 360 mg SC achieved the co-primary endpoints CDAI clinical remission and endoscopic response, composite CDAI clinical remission and endoscopic response, and endoscopic remission vs withdrawal (PBO SC) in the colonic only (n = 59) and ileal-colonic (n = 67) subgroups (P ≤ .05;Figure 2A-2D). In patients with endoscopic remission after 12 weeks of IV RZB (week 0 of maintenance), significantly more RZB-treated patients achieved sustained endoscopic remission at week 52 vs withdrawal (PBO SC) in the colonic only and ileal-colonic subgroups (P ≤ .01;Figure 2E). At weeks 12 and 52, efficacy rates were numerically lower in ileal only CD relative to colonic only and ileal-colonic CD. Results for ileal only CD are limited by the small number of patients in the subgroup (induction, n = 85;maintenance, n = 15). Conclusion: RZB induction and maintenance therapy was effective in patients with moderately to severely active CD with greater benefits observed in patients with any colonic involvement.

Shorter disease duration is associated with better outcomes in patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's Disease treated with risankizumab: Results from the phase 3 ADVANCE, MOTIVATE, and FORTIFY studies

Background: An association between shorter disease duration and improved clinical efficacy has been shown in post hoc analyses of clinical trial data with biological therapies in Crohn's disease (CD). The efficacy and safety of risankizumab (RZB) as induction and maintenance therapy have been recently reported. Here, the efficacy of RZB stratified by baseline CD duration is reported. Methods: In ADVANCE (NCT03105128) and MOTIVATE (NCT03104413), patients with moderately to severely active CD received intravenous (IV) RZB induction therapy or placebo (PBO) for 12 weeks. Patients with clinical response to RZB IV induction were re-randomised in a 52-week maintenance study (FORTIFY, NCT03105102) to receive subcutaneous (SC) RZB or PBO (ie, withdrawal). For this post-hoc analysis, patient subgroups were stratified by years of CD duration at baseline (< 2, 2-5, > 5-10, and > 10 years). Induction analyses focused on patients who received RZB 600 mg IV or PBO for 12 weeks. As all patients who entered maintenance responded to RZB IV induction, maintenance analyses were limited to those patients who responded to induction and then received RZB 360 mg SC for 52 weeks. Clinical and endoscopic outcomes were evaluated using nonresponder imputation incorporating multiple imputation to handle missing data due to impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Safety was assessed throughout the studies. Results: The induction and maintenance analyses included 527 patients who received RZB 600 mg IV and 141 patients who received RZB 360 mg SC, respectively. At the end of induction (week 12), patients with CD duration of < 2 years achieved higher rates of endoscopic outcomes with IV RZB induction vs patients with longer durations of disease (Figure 1), and regardless of baseline CD duration, greater proportions of RZB-treated patients achieved clinical remission (defined by stool frequency and abdominal pain), endoscopic response, endoscopic remission, and ulcer-free endoscopy vs PBO (P ≤ .05). Clinical remission rates at week 12 were numerically higher in patients with CD duration of < 5 years vs > 5 years (Figure 1). Similar results for improved clinical and endoscopic outcomes associated with shorter disease duration were observed at week 52 with RZB 360 mg SC maintenance treatment (Figure 2). RZB was well tolerated with lower rates of serious adverse events and serious infections vs PBO in induction, across CD duration subgroups. Conclusion: RZB induction and maintenance therapy was effective and well tolerated with a safety profile generally similar across CD duration subgroups. Achievement of clinical and endoscopic endpoints were higher in patients with shorter duration of CD, suggesting that earlier introduction of RZB therapy may lead to improved outcomes.