AbbVie’s lutikizumab meets primary endpoint in Phase 3 hidradenitis trial but falls short of market expectations

AbbVie announced that its experimental drug lutikizumab achieved its primary goal in a Phase 3 study of hidradenitis suppurativa, a chronic inflammatory skin disease.

The Intrepid trial enrolled about 1,400 patients with moderate-to-severe disease. After 16 weeks, 31.4% of participants receiving weekly lutikizumab injections saw a 75% or greater reduction in inflamed lesions, versus 23.4% on placebo.

The study also met eight secondary endpoints, showing improvements in skin pain and flare frequency, and the safety profile was comparable to placebo with similar adverse‑event rates.

Despite the positive clinical data, analysts noted that the results fell below market expectations, raising doubts about the drug’s ability to compete with existing therapies such as UCB’s Bimzelx.