Abstract
Objective To assess the 3-year effect of bimekizumab on health status, work productivity, and productivity-related costs in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
Methods BE MOBILE 1 (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03928704) and BE MOBILE 2 (NCT03928743), phase III trials in axSpA, and BE OPTIMAL (NCT03895203) and BE COMPLETE (NCT03896581), phase III trials in PsA, evaluated subcutaneous bimekizumab 160 mg every 4 weeks. Patients who completed these studies were eligible to enter the open-label extension studies BE MOVING (NCT04436640; axSpA) or BE VITAL (NCT04009499; PsA). Outcomes are reported by indication for observed cases among patients originally randomized to placebo or bimekizumab through year 3. These included changes in health status (EQ-5D-3L and the EQ visual analog scale [VAS; 0-100]), work productivity (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire–Specific Health Problem v2.0 [WPAI-SHP]), and annualized productivity cost savings associated with improvements in work impairment.
Results Among 586 patients with axSpA and 1112 patients with PsA, mean EQ VAS scores improved by 20.2-21.3 points in axSpA and 17.1-17.3 points in PsA from baseline to year 3. At year 3, most patients reported clinically meaningful improvements in work impairment (axSpA: 74.2-81.1%; PsA: 71.2- 71.3%) and achieved an acceptable work state, defined by WPAI-SHP presenteeism < 40% (axSpA: 83.7-84.2%; PsA: 84.1-87.2%). In the US, productivity cost savings (in US dollars) were sustained to year 3 ($22,012.14-22,549.32 in axSpA, and $13,327.60-16,428.25 in PsA); similar trends were observed in Europe and Japan.
Conclusion Bimekizumab demonstrated sustained improvements in health status and work productivity to year 3 across axSpA and PsA. Health status was comparable to population norms at year 3. Productivity cost savings from reduced work impairment were observed, reflecting a reduced economic and social burden of axSpA and PsA.
Plain Language Summary
Bimekizumab is a treatment for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). These are 2 related chronic, inflammatory conditions that affect the spine, skin, and joints. Their symptoms include pain, stiffness, and fatigue. These symptoms can make day-to-day life harder and reduce how much people can do at work.
We looked at 586 patients with axSpA and 1112 patients with PsA who took part in 6 large research studies. We assessed if their overall health and work lives improved with bimekizumab treatment over 3 years.
Adults with axSpA or PsA completed a questionnaire that asked them to rate their overall health. Patients were also asked about their work productivity, such as how much time they had to take off because of their symptoms and how difficult it was to work. We also asked how hard it was to do normal things outside of work. We found that patients experienced improvements in their overall health and work productivity with bimekizumab, which lasted over the course of 3 years. We used the improvements patients reported in their work productivity to estimate how much money could be saved through patients working more efficiently. We found that the suggested yearly savings for society in US dollars were around $13,000 to $23,000 per employed person.
Overall, bimekizumab treatment improved the overall health of patients with axSpA or PsA to levels similar to those of healthy individuals. Bimekizumab also improved patients' ability to work effectively. These improvements may help reduce the burden of axSpA and PsA on society.
