Johnson & Johnson announced its drug Tremfya (guselkumab) met primary and major secondary endpoints in a Phase 4 trial. The trial involved patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) affecting the spine. The STAR study is the first to prospectively evaluate an IL-23 inhibitor in this specific patient group. It used MRIs to confirm axial inflammation.
Tremfya led to significant improvements in symptoms such as spinal pain, stiffness, and fatigue compared to a placebo at 24 weeks. The trial also showed a significant reduction in sacroiliac joint inflammation, confirmed by MRI. Tremfya's safety profile was consistent with previous studies. The study identified no new safety signals. Full results will be presented at an upcoming scientific congress.