Efficacy of Guselkumab Compared With Adalimumab and Placebo for Psoriasis in Specific Body Regions: A Secondary Analysis of 2 Randomized Clinical Trials

IMPORTANCE: Psoriasis of the scalp, palms and/or soles, and nails is challenging to treat. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of guselkumab on psoriasis in specific body regions. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: VOYAGE 1 and VOYAGE 2 were, double-blind, placebo- and adalimumab-controlled studies of guselkumab conducted at 101 and 115 global sites, respectively, from November 3, 2014, to May 19, 2016. Patients had moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score ≥12, Investigator’s Global Assessment [IGA] score ≥3, and ≥10% body surface area with psoriasis). This post hoc data analysis was performed from February 10 through November 15, 2017. EXPOSURES: Patients were randomized to guselkumab, 100 mg (weeks 0 and 4, then every 8 weeks); placebo followed by guselkumab, 100 mg, starting at week 16; or adalimumab (80 mg [week 0] and 40 mg [week 1, then every 2 weeks]). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Efficacy was assessed through week 24. End points included numbers of patients achieving scores of 0 or 1 (clear or near clear) or 0 (clear) on the scalp-specific IGA (ss-IGA), Physician’s Global Assessment of the hands and/or feet (hf-PGA), and fingernail PGA (f-PGA) and percentage of improvement in target Nail Psoriasis Severity Index score. RESULTS: Of 1829 randomized patients (mean [SD] age, 43.6 [12.4] years; 1300 [71.1%] male, 1498 [81.9%] white), 1576 (86.2%) had psoriasis of the scalp; 501 (27.4%), palms and/or soles; and 1049 (57.4%), fingernails. At baseline, 1512 (82.7%), 461 (25.2%), and 928 (50.7%) patients had a score of 2 or higher on the ss-IGA, hf-PGA, and f-PGA, respectively, and were included in the analysis. Guselkumab was superior to placebo based on the proportion of patients achieving an ss-IGA score of 0 or 1 (560 [81.8%] vs 43 [12.4%]) at week 16 and to adalimumab (582 [85.0%] vs 329 [68.5%]) at week 24 (both P