UCB’s Bimzelx elicited significantly stronger joint relief at 16 weeks than AbbVie’s Skyrizi in a Phase 3 head-to-head study of psoriatic arthritis.
UCB’s Bimzelx has outperformed Skyrizi, AbbVie’s new immuno juggernaut, in a late-stage head-to-head psoriatic arthritis study.
Phase 3 data released Tuesday showed patients on Bimzelx experienced significantly better joint outcomes than those on Skyrizi, according to a company release. The study measured this endpoint using the ACR50, a tool used to assess clinical response that looks for at least a 50% improvement in joint symptoms, quality of life, functional performance and other metrics.
At 16 weeks, 49.1% of patients on Bimzelx achieved ACR50, as compared with 38.4% of comparators on Skyrizi. This treatment difference was statistically significant, according to UCB.
Bimzelx was also numerically better than Skyrizi in terms of minimal disease activity, which at 16 weeks was achieved by 43% of those on UCB’s drug versus 39.9% of participants on AbbVie’s asset. The result fell short of statistical significance, however, precluding further statistical analysis of other secondary endpoints due to the study’s hierarchical nature, UCB said.
UCB nevertheless touted better outcomes across several other secondary measures, including joint relief at four weeks and complete clearance of psoriasis symptoms at 16 weeks.
“Head-to-head trials are the most rigorous approach to comparative clinical research,” UCB’s Head of Patient Evidence Emmanuel Caeymaex said in a prepared statement. Tuesday’s readout adds to the body of knowledge “that can inform the treatment landscape for psoriatic arthritis.”
Both Bimzelx and Skyrizi are approved to treat the condition and also share plaque psoriasis as an indication.
AbbVie has used Skyrizi to gracefully ride out what would have been a devastating patent cliff for Humira, its mega-blockbuster immune drug that once reigned as the world’s most valuable pharma franchise. From a peak of $21.2 billion in 2022, Humira’s sales slid to $4.54 billion last year.
Skyrizi, meanwhile, has been on a meteoric rise. In 2024, the drug overtook Humira with $11.7 billion in sales, 50.9% year-on-year growth. This trend has only continued, with Skyrizi surging 49.7% in 2025 to make $17.56 billion—and rank among the industry’s best-selling products.
For UCB, Tuesday’s triumph over AbbVie follows back-to-back acquisitions to deepen its pipeline. Earlier this month, the company fronted $2 billion to acquire Candid Therapeutics and its pipeline of therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The deal also includes a potential $200 million more in milestones for Candid.
Last month, UCB picked up Neurona Therapeutics for $650 million upfront and up to $500 million in milestones, gaining a cell therapy for epilepsy.
