Efficacy and Safety of Secukinumab for the Treatment of Psoriasis: A Meta-Analysis of Pivotal Phase III Trials

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Secukinumab, a fully humanized monoclonal antibody against IL-17A, was approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in the USA and European Union in 2015. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> Secukinumab, a fully humanized monoclonal antibody against IL-17A, was approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in the USA and European Union in 2015. The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of secukinumab for the treatment of moderate and severe plaque psoriasis and provide an evidence-based reference for clinical practice. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Clinical Trials databases were searched. Pivotal phase III clinical trials were analysed. RevMan was used for the statistical analysis of the data. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Seven pivotal phase III clinical trials were analysed. All trials evaluated secukinumab in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and had two common primary end points: the proportion of respondents to the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and the proportion of respondents to the Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA). The total response ratios of PASI and IGA respondents in the secukinumab group were 82.8 and 71.3%, respectively, compared to placebo. Secukinumab was superior to etanercept, with risk ratios of 1.7 and 2.1, respectively. Secukinumab was generally well tolerated during the 1-year trial period. However, adverse events also occurred. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Secukinumab was found to be more effective than etanercept and had an acceptable safety profile. Since psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that requires lifelong treatment, attention should be paid to its adverse effects.