Spesolimab-sbzo (Spevigo, Boehringer Ingelheim) improves physical symptoms and lessens the mental health burden associated with generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP), according to post-hoc exploratory analyses from the EFFISAYIL 2 clinical trial
The data were presented at the 2025 American Academy of Dermatology’s annual meeting in Orlando, FL.
In EFFISAYIL 2, patients with a history of GPP were randomized to receive one of three active treatment regimens or a placebo. Participants were asked to rate their GPP symptoms – including pain, redness, itching, and burning – using the Psoriasis Symptom Scale (PSS), the Pain Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Of the 30 patients randomized to receive subcutaneous spesolimab, 300mg every four weeks after a 600mg loading dose, participants reported a reduction in mean Pain VAS scores over the course of the trial, with more than half (56.5%) of patients reporting a Pain VAS score of 0 at Week 48 and the mean PSS score decreasing from 5.34 to 2.96 by Week 48, the study showed.
Patients were also asked to rate the impact of GPP through a 10-item questionnaire to assess changes in quality of life using the DLQI. The results found that mean DLQI scores improved from a “very large effect on patient’s life” score (11.14) at baseline to a “small effect on patient’s life” score (4.57) at week 48 following treatment with spesolimab. Measurable improvements in mean PSS, Pain VAS, and DLQI scores were observed by the first assessment in Week 4.
“The results from EFFISAYIL 2 provide valuable insights into the chronicity of generalized pustular psoriasis,” says Tina Bhutani, MD, an Associate Professor in the Department of Dermatology at University of California-San Francisco, Co-Director of the Psoriasis and Skin Treatment Center, and Director of the Dermatology Clinical Research Unit. “The data are a pivotal step in advancing patient-centered care in GPP.”
