Key clinical point: Abatacept-mediated CD28-CD80/CD86 blockade was inept at averting psoriasis relapse following ustekinumab withdrawal in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.
Major finding: Between weeks 12 and 88, abatacept vs ustekinumab groups displayed similar relapse rates (91.1% vs 87.0%; P = .41) and median time to relapse from the last dose of ustekinumab (36 weeks [95% CI, 36-48] vs 32 weeks [95% CI, 28-40]).
Study details: The data come from the PAUSE trial, including 91 adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who achieved Psoriasis Area Severity Index 75 at week 12 of receiving ustekinumab and who were randomly assigned to either continued ustekinumab or switch to abatacept until week 39.
Disclosures: The study was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health and Eli Lilly and Co. Some of the authors declared receiving research/institutional grants and/or personal fees from various sources, including Eli Lilly.
Source: Harris KM et al. JAMA Dermatol. 2021 Oct 13. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.3492 .