title: Ixekizumab for the Treatment of Psoriasis: A Review of Phase III Trials.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interleukin-17 inhibitors are the newest class of monoclonal antibodies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of psoriasis. Preclinical and Phase II studies of ixekizumab, a high-affinity anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody, have proved promising.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted an extensive literature search using the PubMed database to assess the efficacy and safety profile of ixekizumab. The search included the following key words: "psoriasis" and "IL-17" or "ixekizumab." We also reviewed citations within articles to identify relevant sources.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By week 12, the percentage of patients achieving a 75% improvement from baseline Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75) was comparable among the three Phase III trials (UNCOVER-1, 89%; UNCOVER-2, 90%; UNCOVER-3, 87%). Ixekizumab continued to be efficacious through 60 weeks of treatment. The safety profile of ixekizumab was favorable; the most frequently reported adverse events consisted of nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, injection-site reaction, and headache.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, ixekizumab demonstrated rapid clinical improvement and favorable short-term safety profile in Phase III trials. The results support ixekizumab as an effective therapeutic option for patients with moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA. Benjamin.farahnik@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Farahnik
authors.affiliation: University of California-Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kourosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Beroukhim
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Tian Hao
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: University of California-Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abrouk
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Psoriasis and Skin Treatment Center, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: University of California-Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Rasnik
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Psoriasis and Skin Treatment Center, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Psoriasis and Skin Treatment Center, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bhutani
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Psoriasis and Skin Treatment Center, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koo
keywords: Anti-interleukin-17; Biologics; Interleukin 17; Ixekizumab; Phase III; Psoriasis; UNCOVER