Upcoming Research in PsA, AxSpa, with Philip Mease, MD

Although patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA) now have a number of treatment options to choose from, research continues to develop more efficacious options and more rigorous classification criteria for these rheumatological diseases.

The HCPLive editorial team spoke with lead investigator Philip Mease, MD, Clinical Professor, University of Washington School of Medicine and Director, Rheumatology Research, Swedish Medical Center, to learn more about upcoming research that he is anticipating data for the end of the year and into 2025.

“We know that in psoriatic arthritis, one of the clinical domains that can be present is axial inflammation, or spine inflammation. This is an immunologic process in the spine and sacroiliac joints,” Mease told HCPLive. “This has been identified in up to 40% of patients with PsA, but we've had some difficulty in knowing how to define this. Do we do it based on clinical features? Do we base it on MRI findings or X ray findings? What about the genotype of these patients?”

Some of the research Mease is looking forward to seeing come to fruition includes updated findings from the phase 2 ARGO study (NCT05640245) of sonelokimab and the phase 4 STAR study (NCT04929210) of guselkumab in axial PsA. He also detailed the recent AXIS study done in collaboration between Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis and Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society that worked on classification of axial PsA.

“Having a classification criteria is going to be important...we're looking forward to more of that data coming out and being presented at upcoming meetings,” Mease said.

Relevant disclosures include AbbVie, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead Sciences, Genentech, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer Inc, Sun and UCB.