Johnson & Johnson and Eli Lilly Face New Challenges in Dermatology Market: 74% of Patients Show Significant Response to Tremfya

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Eli Lilly (LLY), two pharmaceutical giants, are expected to get new data on their key drugs in the highly competitive dermatology market. Johnson & Johnson evaluated the use of its drug Tremfya in patients with moderate plaque psoriasis involving a specific site of low body surface area that has failed local treatment. In a press release, Johnson & Johnson explained that "special sites" refer to those sensitive or highly visible areas affected by psoriasis, such as the scalp, face, skin folds, and genitals.

According to Johnson & Johnson, the SPECTREM study is the first large-scale trial to measure skin clearance and other outcomes in a patient group. The drugmaker found that 74.2% of patients treated with Tremfya met the primary endpoint by achieving disease clearance or minimal disease. In contrast, only 12.4 percent of patients in the placebo group achieved the same level of response.

Tremfya also proved beneficial in secondary endpoints and patient-reported measures of quality of life, Johnson & Johnson said. According to the company, although psoriasis has a significant impact on patients' daily lives, the patient population is largely underserved by systemic treatment.

Tremfya is positioned as a strong successor as competition for biosimilars heats up and the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on drugmakers' immunity star Stelara looms. The biologic recently gained recognition in ulcerative colitis, competing with AbbVie's Humira successor Skyrizi.

Meanwhile, Eli Lilly tested its IL-13 inhibitor Ebglyss in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis who had previously been treated with Regeneron and Sanofi's immune giant Dupixent (dupilumab). The Phase 3b ADapt study found that 57 percent of patients with Eli Lilly's drug had a 75 percent or greater improvement in their eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-75) score at week 16. The study measured the extent and severity of skin disorders.

By week 24, 60 percent of patients treated with ebglyss experienced this level of improvement. Lilly said in a press release that the results were generally consistent with previous studies of the drug in patients who had not used Dupixent. By week 16, 46 percent of Ebglyss patients with an inadequate response to Dupixent met EASI-75 criteria.

Mark Genovese, M.D., senior vice president of Eli Lilly's immunization division, said in a company release: "This trial supports a growing body of data suggesting that healthcare providers can be confident in using Ebglyss as a first-line biologic therapy for moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, and highlights that Ebglyss offers meaningful benefit to individuals who have already tried other biologic therapies, such as dupilumab, and may have a more difficult-to-treat disease."

Ebyglyss received its first FDA approval for atopic dermatitis last month, following European approval in 2023. It is the third biologics Lilly has developed in its growing immunology segment and will compete with dominant DuPont in a crowded market.