Discussing Findings on Secukinumab (Cosentyx) Efficacy Over 4 Years in HS, With Martina Porter, MD

New late-breaking, phase 3 data have been released demonstrating secukinumab’s (Cosentyx) efficacy over 4 years in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).1

These new post-hoc analysis findings were presented during the 10th annual Symposium on Hidradenitis Suppurativa Advances (SHSA). HCPLive spoke about the findings with Martina J. Porter, MD, a trial investigator, assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, and vice chair for research and academics at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

“You've seen the data from the core trials that led to the FDA approval, and we have shown the Week 104 data as well, but now we're getting data all the way out to Week 204,” Porter said. “So, this is the longest, long-term extension data that we have now for any IL-17 inhibitor in HS, and it's really impactful and reassuring, both from a safety and efficacy perspective. Also, I think it reinforces what we've talked about before, that IL-17 really doesn't have immunogenicity, and so patients tend to maintain their response for many years.”

Porter highlighted details of the post-hoc analysis, noting patients with moderate to severe HS were evaluated previously in the SUNSHINE and SUNRISE core and extension trials. Those who had attained a clinical response at the 52-week mark (HiSCR responders) were included. These findings, Porter highlighted, show the evolution of clinical response up to the 204-week mark

Clinical response was evaluated by Porter and coauthors as a reduction of 50% (HiSCR50), 75% (HiSCR75), 90% (HiSCR90), or 100% (HiSCR100) in study participants’ total number of inflammatory abscesses and nodules. The investigators found, among HiSCR responders at the 52-week mark, 81.3% sustained HiSCR50 between 1 and 4 years. Also, Porter et al found in that same timeframe, 72.9%, 46.9%, and 35.4% of those assessed improved their response to secukinumab from HiSCR50 to HiSCR75, HiSCR90, and HiSCR100, respectively.

“So it's very good,” Porter explained. “The safety data was very in line with secukinumab’s known safety profile for all its other indications, even though this is the highest dose of secukinumab used for any indication. I think that's very reassuring. So nothing exciting, fortunately, in the safety data. And compared to the other IL-17 inhibitors that are approved for HS, like bimekizumab, there are relatively low rates of fungal infections, hypersensitivities, or rashes in the secukinumab patients out to 4 years.”

Porter also highlighted secukinumab treatment’s impact on draining tunnels, which the investigative team had found saw a notable decrease of 68.5% in draining tunnels maintained by patients treated with the medication. Overall, secukinumab was well-tolerated and had a strong safety profile, consistent with previously shared data.

“The safety profile of secukinumab long term is probably better than bimekizumab, if you look at the percentages of some of the adverse reactions that we commonly associate with IL-17 inhibitors…” Porter said. “But I think when we talk about shared decision making with patients, it helps to guide management, because I have different groups of patients who are really looking for immediate efficacy results versus mostly choosing the absolutely safest drug they can. So I think having this long-term data can really help guide those decisions.”

For any additional information on these findings on secukinumab in patients with HS, view the full interview posted above.

The quotes contained in this summary were edited for clarity.

References

1. Kimball AB, Bechara FG, Alavi A, et al. Long-term efficacy and safety of secukinumab in patients with moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa: week 104 results from the SUNSHINE and SUNRISE extension trial. Br J Dermatol. 2025 Mar 18;192(4):629-640. doi: 10.1093/bjd/ljae469. PMID: 39611771.

2. Kunzmann K. FDA Approves Secukinumab for Hidradenitis Suppurativa. HCPLive. November 1, 2023. Accessed November 13, 2025. https://www.hcplive.com/view/fda-approves-secukinumab-hidradenitis-suppurativa.