Lilly's Ixekizumab Met Primary Endpoint in a Phase 3 Study Investigating the Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis (NYSE:LLY)

INDIANAPOLIS, April 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced today that the investigational medicine ixekizumab was statistically superior to placebo in the treatment of patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA), as demonstrated by the proportion of patients achieving an ACR 20 response. ACR 20 is a standard assessment that represents a 20 percent reduction in disease signs and symptoms as defined by the American College of Rheumatology response criteria. During the 24-week, Phase 3 study, titled SPIRIT-P1, patients who were naïve to biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD) were treated with one of two different ixekizumab dosing regimens or placebo. In both dosing regimens, ixekizumab-treated patients demonstrated significant improvements versus placebo in signs and symptoms of active PsA.

PsA is a progressive, chronic and destructive disease that can cause swelling, stiffness and pain in and around the joints, nail changes, and impaired physical function. It is one of the most common rheumatic arthritides, occurring within 0.3 to 1 percent of the general population, and in up to approximately 30 percent of people with psoriasis

Lilly's Ixekizumab Met Primary Endpoint in a Phase 3 Study Investigating the Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis (NYSE:LLY)