Starjemza FDA Approval: Psoriasis & Itch Relief
- A recent study in Annals of Dermatology indicates that ustekinumab may be more effective than guselkumab in alleviating severe itch among psoriasis patients.
- The FDA recently approved Starjemza, a biosimilar to ustekinumab, offering a comparable treatment option.
- Researchers assessed 108 patients with severe psoriasis, comparing the impact of ustekinumab (74 patients) and guselkumab (34 patients) on itch severity.
Ustekinumab shows promise in providing superior itch relief for psoriasis patients, surpassing guselkumab in a recent study. Clinical trials demonstrate ustekinumab’s effectiveness, with 90.4% of patients experiencing advancement in itch severity. Meanwhile, the FDA approves Starjemza, a biosimilar offering a new and equivalent treatment option.The research examined 108 patients, highlighting the impact of both ustekinumab and guselkumab on itch. While guselkumab proves more effective for skin lesions, ustekinumab shines for itch relief. News Directory 3 brings you the latest on psoriasis treatments. Treatment decisions should consider patient priorities, especially the value of itch relief as distinct from skin clearance. Discover what’s next in psoriasis management.
Ustekinumab Provides Superior Itch Relief for Psoriasis Patients
Updated May 29, 2025
A recent study in Annals of Dermatology indicates that ustekinumab may be more effective than guselkumab in alleviating severe itch among psoriasis patients. While both are biologic therapies used to treat psoriasis, ustekinumab showed substantially greater itch relief, even though guselkumab demonstrated superior results in treating skin lesions.
The FDA recently approved Starjemza, a biosimilar to ustekinumab, offering a comparable treatment option. Clinical trials confirmed Starjemza’s similar efficacy and safety profile.
Researchers assessed 108 patients with severe psoriasis, comparing the impact of ustekinumab (74 patients) and guselkumab (34 patients) on itch severity. They used numerical rating scales, visual analog scales, and verbal rating scales to measure itch betterment, with a primary focus on changes after three injections.
among ustekinumab users with moderate-to-severe itching at the start, 90.4% reported improvement, with an overall mean change of 4.6 on the numerical rating scale. The guselkumab group saw only 64% reporting any symptom improvement, with a mean change of 3.1. Statistical analysis confirmed ustekinumab’s superior itch relief (P < .033).
The study also found that 96.3% of all patients achieved a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score of 75, indicating notable improvement in skin condition. Guselkumab led to more significant PASI improvements compared to ustekinumab (P < .040).
“While guselkumab excels in treating skin lesions, ustekinumab appears more effective for itch relief. As treatments for skin symptoms advance,addressing pruritus as a significant,quality-of-life-affecting symptom becomes increasingly significant,” the authors concluded.
What’s next
The study suggests that treatment decisions shoudl consider individual patient priorities, especially whether itch relief is more important than skin clearance. Further research is needed to better understand and treat psoriatic itch.