The purpose of this study is to assess secukinumab high dose (every 2 weeks) vs standard dose (every 4 weeks) in heavy body weight subjects with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

A 52-week multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group trial in 331 subjects with moderate to severe chronic plaque-type psoriasis of body weight 90 kg or higher at time of randomization.

This study consisted of 4 periods: screening (up to 4 weeks), treatment Period 1 (16 weeks), treatment Period 2 (36 weeks), and post-treatment follow-up (8 weeks).

Subjects were randomized using a 1:1 ratio to the following groups: Secukinumab 300 mg every 2 weeks; Secukinumab 300 mg every 4 weeks.

In addition, subjects from the 300 mg every 4 weeks group who did not achieve Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) 90 response at Week 16 were reassigned using a 1:1 ratio to either remain on secukinumab 300 mg every 4 weeks or receive secukinumab 300 mg every 2 weeks starting at Week 16, until the end of treatment.

Key Inclusion Criteria:

• Written informed consent must have been obtained before any assessment was performed. Where relevant, a legal representative will also have signed the informed study consent according to local laws and regulations.

• Subjects must have been able to understand and communicate with the investigator and comply with the requirements of the study.

• Men or women at least 18 years of age at time of screening.

• Body weight of ≥ 90 kg at the time of randomization.

• Chronic plaque-type psoriasis present for at least 6 months and diagnosed before randomization.

• Moderate to severe psoriasis as defined at randomization by:

  • Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score of 12 or greater, and
  • Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) mod 2011 score of 3 or greater (based on a static scale of 0 - 4), and
  • Body Surface Area (BSA) affected by plaque-type psoriasis of 10% or greater.

• Candidate for systemic therapy. This is defined as a subject having moderate to severe chronic plaque-type psoriasis that is inadequately controlled by:

  • topical treatment and/or,
  • phototherapy and/or,
  • previous systemic therapy.

Key Exclusion Criteria:

• Forms of psoriasis other than chronic plaque-type (e.g., pustular, erythrodermic and guttate psoriasis) at screening or Randomization.
• Ongoing use of prohibited treatments. Washout periods detailed in the protocol have to be adhered to. Subjects not willing to limit ultraviolet (UV) light exposure (e.g., sunbathing and / or the use of tanning devices) during the course of the study will be considered not eligible for this study since UV light exposure is prohibited. Note: administration of live vaccines 6 weeks prior to Randomization or during the study period is also prohibited.
• Previous exposure to secukinumab (AIN457) or any other biologic drug directly targeting Interleukin-17 (IL-17) or the IL-17 receptor.
• Use of other investigational drugs at the time of enrollment, or within 5 half-lives of enrollment, or within 4 weeks until the expected pharmacodynamic effect has returned to baseline, whichever is longer; or longer if required by local regulations.
• Pregnant or nursing (lactating) women
• History of lymphoproliferative disease or any known malignancy or history of malignancy of any organ system treated or untreated within the past 5 years, regardless of whether there is evidence of local recurrence or metastases (except for skin Bowen's disease, or basal cell carcinoma or actinic keratoses that have been treated with no evidence of recurrence in the past 12 weeks; carcinoma in situ of the cervix or non-invasive malignant colon polyps that have been removed).
• History of hypersensitivity to any of the study drug constituents.

Novartis is committed to sharing with qualified external researchers, access to patient-level data and supporting clinical documents from eligible studies. These requests are reviewed and approved by an independent review panel on the basis of scientific merit. All data provided is anonymized to respect the privacy of patients who have participated in the trial in line with applicable laws and regulations.

This trial data availability is according to the criteria and process described on www.clinicalstudydatarequest.com.