Pharmacodynamic effects of filgotinib treatment driving clinical improvement in patients with active psoriatic arthritis enrolled in the EQUATOR trial

ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to identify protein and transcriptional biomarkers and pathways associated with baseline disease state, the effect of filgotinib (FIL) treatment on these biomarkers, and to investigate the mechanism of action of FIL on clinical improvement in patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA).MethodsThe phase II EQUATOR (NCT03101670) trial evaluated the efficacy of FIL, a Janus kinase 1-preferential inhibitor, in patients with PsA. Peripheral protein and gene expression levels in association with clinical state at baseline and post-treatment were assessed in 121 patients using linear mixed effects models for repeated measures analyses. Mediation analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) were performed to investigate the mechanism of action of FIL at week 4 on downstream clinical improvement at week 16.ResultsBaseline analyses showed that markers of inflammation were significantly associated with multiple PsA clinical metrics, except for Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), which corresponded to Th17 markers. FIL treatment resulted in sustained transcriptional inhibition of immune genes and pathways, a sustained increase in B-cell fraction and mature B-cells in circulation, and a transient effect on other cell fractions. Mediation analysis revealed that changes in B cells, systemic inflammatory cytokines and neutrophils at week 4 were associated with changes in clinical metrics at week 16. SEM suggested that FIL improved PASI through reduction of IL-23 p19 and IL-12 p40 proteins.ConclusionsOur results revealed that FIL treatment rapidly downregulates inflammatory and immune pathways associated with PsA disease activity corresponding to clinical improvement in PsA.Trial registration numberNCT03101670.

Automated summary

This study aimed to identify protein and transcriptional biomarkers and pathways associated with PsA disease state, the effect of FIL treatment, and the mechanism of action of FIL on clinical improvement. The results showed that FIL treatment downregulates inflammation and immune pathways, leading to clinical improvement in PsA.