Secukinumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in paediatric patients aged six years and older

IntroductionPsoriasis (PSO) is a chronic, recurrent, inflammatory skin disorder that significantly influences patients' quality of life. The prevalence of PSO among children varies depending on the age and ranges from 0.12% at one year to 2% at 18 years. Due to systemic inflammation, PSO is associated with obesity, hypertension, inflammatory bowel disease, and cardiovascular incidences.Secukinumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody selectively targeting IL-17A. The drug has been approved for children aged 6-18 with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Nevertheless, only a few reports thoroughly describe its efficacy and safety in the pediatric population.Areas coveredThis review aims to describe the efficacy and safety of secukinumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque PSO in pediatric patients aged six years and older.Expert opinionAlthough there are only two clinical trials assessing the efficacy and safety of secukinumab in the pediatric population with plaque PSO, this therapy seems to be a significant advancement in managing those patients. Both dose regimens (depending on the weight, low-dose, 75/75/150 mg, and high-dose 75/150/300 mg) of secukinumab were more effective in achieving significant clinical improvement (PASI 75/90 and IGA response) than placebo or active-comparator. Both regimens showed good safety and tolerability profiles, with mostly mild AEs and no SAEs observed.

Automated summary

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder that significantly affects patients' quality of life. The prevalence of psoriasis among children varies depending on age, ranging from 0.12% at one year to 2% at 18 years. Secukinumab has been approved for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in children aged 6-18, but there is limited information on its efficacy and safety in this population.