Efficacy and safety of ixekizumab, an interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody, in real-world patients with psoriasis: 12-week results from a Canadian multicenter retrospective study

Background: The discovery of targeted therapies that selectively bind to interleukin (IL)-17A and neutralize the bioactivity of this cytokine has led to the development of the next generation of biologic treatments for psoriasis. Most recently, ixekizumab, an IL-17A monoclonal antibody was approved for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients. Current efficacy and safety data are limited to results from phase III randomized controlled trials (RCT). Although these studies have shown unprecedented outcomes, how dermatologist prescribe and monitor ixekizumab in the real world is based on results obtained from patients enrolled in clinical trials.