U.S. FDA Approves SKYRIZI® (risankizumab-rzaa) for Ulcerative Colitis, Expanding AbbVie’s Portfolio Across Inflammatory Bowel Disease

  • Approval supported by two Phase 3 clinical trials that evaluated SKYRIZI® for the treatment of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis: a 12-week induction study, INSPIRE,1 and a 52-week maintenance study, COMMAND2
  • Data showed that clinical remission, the primary endpoint in both the induction and maintenance studies, was achieved along with endoscopic improvement, a key secondary endpoint1,2
  • SKYRIZI is the first IL-23 antagonist approved for both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., June 18, 2024– AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved SKYRIZI® (risankizumab-rzaa) for adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis, making it the first IL-23 specific inhibitor approved for both moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and moderate to severe Crohn’s disease.3 SKYRIZI is now approved for four indications across immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

“When treating patients with ulcerative colitis, it’s important to prioritize both early and sustained clinical remission as well as endoscopic improvement,” said Edward V. Loftus, Jr., M.D., Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Professor of Gastroenterology in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “This approval for SKYRIZI is an important step toward addressing these treatment goals.”

With over 1 million people living with ulcerative colitis, the United States has one of the largest populations affected by this disease and the numbers are continuing to rise.4 Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation in the digestive tract and can result in damage to the colon lining.5 Patients often experience a range of unpredictable symptoms that impact their daily lives, such as abdominal pain, bloody stool and urgency to use the bathroom.5,6 The disease course of ulcerative colitis varies between patients, and in some cases can lead to surgery or complications, including cancer or death.6,7

“Today’s approval of SKYRIZI for ulcerative colitis expands our IBD portfolio and demonstrates our commitment to helping address ongoing needs of patients,” said Roopal Thakkar, M.D., senior vice president, chief medical officer, global therapeutics, AbbVie. “We will continue to invest in transforming the treatment landscape and the lives of people suffering from lBD.”

Dosing of SKYRIZI for this indication includes a 12-week induction period with three 1200 mg doses delivered every four weeks, followed by maintenance therapy of either 180 mg or 360 mg delivered every eight weeks.3 Following the induction period, SKYRIZI treatment can be maintained at home using an on-body injector (OBI).3 The OBI is a hands-free device designed with patients in mind that adheres to the body and takes about five minutes to deliver the medication following preparation steps.3

Do not use if you are allergic to SKYRIZI. SKYRIZI may cause serious side effects, including serious allergic reactions, an increased risk of infections, and liver problems. Stop using SKYRIZI and get emergency medical help right away if experiencing symptoms of a serious allergic reaction. Before starting treatment, your doctor should check for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor right away about any infections or symptoms of infection and about planned or recent vaccines. Liver problems may happen while being treated for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis that can lead to hospitalization. Your doctor will do liver blood tests before and during treatment and may stop SKYRIZI if liver problems develop.

Risankizumab (SKYRIZI) is part of a collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim and AbbVie, with AbbVie leading development and commercialization globally.

For more information about SKYRIZI, visit SKYRIZI.com.

Patient Access & Support
AbbVie is committed to helping people access SKYRIZI and other medicines, including offering a patient support program and co-pay card that may reduce out-of-pocket costs to as little as $0 per month for eligible, commercially insured patients. Financial support might also include reimbursement for out-of-pocket costs related to IV administration. For those with limited or no health insurance, AbbVie offers myAbbVie Assist, a patient assistance program that provides SKYRIZI at no charge to those who qualify. More information about this assistance program can be found at www.AbbVie.com/myAbbVieAssist.

About Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic, idiopathic, immune-mediated inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) of the large intestine that causes continuous mucosal inflammation extending, to a variable extent, from the rectum to the more proximal colon.5,8 The hallmark signs and symptoms of ulcerative colitis include rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, tenesmus (a sense of pressure), urgency and fecal incontinence.5,6 The disease course of ulcerative colitis varies between patients and can range from quiescent disease to chronic refractory disease, which in some cases can lead to surgery or complications, including cancer or death.6,7 The severity of symptoms and unpredictability of disease course can lead to substantial burden and often disability among those living with the disease.9

About the INSPIRE Induction Study1
INSPIRE is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of risankizumab 1200 mg IV administered every four weeks as induction therapy in subjects with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis.

The primary endpoint is clinical remission (per Adapted Mayo Score, defined as SFS ≤1 and not greater than baseline, RBS of 0 and endoscopic subscore ≤1 without friability) at week 12. Secondary endpoints include clinical response (decrease from baseline in the Adapted Mayo Score ≥2 points and ≥30% from baseline, plus a decrease in RBS ≥1 or an absolute RBS ≤1), endoscopic improvement (endoscopic subscore ≤1 without friability), and histologic and endoscopic mucosal improvement (HEMI) (endoscopic subscore of 0 or 1 without friability and Geboes score ≤3.1) at week 12. More information can be found on www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03398148).

About the COMMAND Maintenance Study2
The COMMAND study is a Phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled, 52-week maintenance study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of risankizumab 180 mg or 360 mg SC in adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. This study followed a re-randomized withdrawal design in which all patients received risankizumab IV induction and those who responded to risankizumab were re-randomized to receive risankizumab 180 mg or 360 mg SC or withdrawal from risankizumab treatment (induction-only control group). For those randomized to withdraw from risankizumab treatment (induction-only control group), the rest of the study duration was a risankizumab washout. The objective of the Phase 3 study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of risankizumab 180 mg or 360 mg as maintenance therapy versus withdrawal from risankizumab treatment (control) in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who responded to risankizumab IV induction in the INSPIRE study.

The primary endpoint is clinical remission (per Adapted Mayo Score, defined as SFS ≤1 and not greater than baseline, RBS of 0 and endoscopic subscore ≤1 without evidence of friability) at week 52. Secondary endpoints include endoscopic improvement (endoscopic subscore ≤1 without evidence of friability), histologic and endoscopic mucosal improvement (HEMI) (endoscopic subscore of ≤1 without evidence of friability and Geboes score ≤3.1), and steroid-free clinical remission (defined as clinical remission per Adapted Mayo Score at week 52 and corticosteroid free for ≥90 days prior to week 52) at week 52. More information can be found on www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03398135).

About SKYRIZI® (risankizumab-rzaa)
SKYRIZI is an interleukin-23 (IL-23) inhibitor that selectively blocks IL-23 by binding to its p19 subunit.10 IL-23, a cytokine involved in inflammatory processes, is thought to be linked to a number of chronic immune-mediated diseases.11 SKYRIZI is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis, plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and Crohn's disease.11,12,13

SKYRIZI® (risankizumab-rzaa) U.S. Uses and Important Safety Information3

SKYRIZI is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with:

  • moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who may benefit from taking injections or pills (systemic therapy) or treatment using ultraviolet or UV light (phototherapy).
  • active psoriatic arthritis.
  • moderate to severe Crohn’s disease.
  • moderate to severe ulcerative colitis.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know about SKYRIZI® (risankizumab-rzaa)?

SKYRIZI is a prescription medicine that may cause serious side effects, including:

Serious allergic reactions:

  • Stop using SKYRIZI and get emergency medical help right away if you get any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction:
    • fainting, dizziness, feeling lightheaded (low blood pressure)
    • swelling of your face, eyelids, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
    • trouble breathing or throat tightness
    • chest tightness
    • skin rash, hives
    • itching

Infections:
SKYRIZI may lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections and may increase your risk of infections. Your healthcare provider should check you for infections and tuberculosis (TB) before starting treatment with SKYRIZI and may treat you for TB before you begin treatment with SKYRIZI if you have a history of TB or have active TB. Your healthcare provider should watch you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during and after treatment with SKYRIZI.

  • Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have an infection or have symptoms of an infection, including:
    • fever, sweats, or chills
    • cough
    • shortness of breath
    • blood in your mucus (phlegm)
    • muscle aches
    • warm, red, or painful skin or sores on your body different from your psoriasis
    • weight loss
    • diarrhea or stomach pain
    • burning when you urinate or urinating more often than normal

Do not use SKYRIZI if you are allergic to risankizumab-rzaa or any of the ingredients in SKYRIZI. See the Medication Guide or Consumer Brief Summary for a complete list of ingredients.

Before using SKYRIZI, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • have any of the conditions or symptoms listed in the section “What is the most important information I should know about SKYRIZI?”
  • have an infection that does not go away or that keeps coming back.
  • have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB.
  • have recently received or are scheduled to receive an immunization (vaccine). Medicines that interact with the immune system may increase your risk of getting an infection after receiving live vaccines. You should avoid receiving live vaccines right before, during, or right after treatment with SKYRIZI. Tell your healthcare provider that you are taking SKYRIZI before receiving a vaccine.
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if SKYRIZI can harm your unborn baby.
  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if SKYRIZI passes into your breast milk.
  • become pregnant while taking SKYRIZI. You are encouraged to enroll in the Pregnancy Registry, which is used to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider or call 1-877-302-2161 to enroll in this registry.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the- counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

What are the possible side effects of SKYRIZI?

SKYRIZI may cause serious side effects. See “What is the most important information I should know about SKYRIZI?”

Liver problems may happen while being treated for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis: A person with Crohn’s disease who received SKYRIZI through a vein in the arm developed changes in liver blood tests with a rash that led to hospitalization. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check your liver before, during, and at least up to 12 weeks of treatment, and may stop treatment with SKYRIZI if you develop liver problems. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you notice any of the following symptoms: unexplained rash, nausea, vomiting, stomach (abdominal) pain, tiredness (fatigue), loss of appetite, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), and dark urine.

The most common side effects of SKYRIZI in people treated for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis include: upper respiratory infections, headache, joint pain, stomach (abdominal) pain, injection site reactions, low red blood cells (anemia), fever, back pain, urinary tract infection, and rash.

The most common side effects of SKYRIZI in people treated for plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis include: upper respiratory infections, headache, feeling tired, injection site reactions, and fungal skin infections.

These are not all the possible side effects of SKYRIZI. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

Use SKYRIZI exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to use it.

SKYRIZI (risankizumab-rzaa) is available in a 150 mg/mL prefilled syringe and pen, a 600 mg/10 mL vial for intravenous infusion, and a 180 mg/1.2 mL or 360 mg/2.4 mL single-dose prefilled cartridge with on- body injector.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

If you are having difficulty paying for your medicine, AbbVie may be able to help. Visit AbbVie.com/myAbbVieAssist to learn more.

Please click here for the Full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.

Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information.

About AbbVie in Gastroenterology
With a robust clinical trial program, AbbVie is committed to cutting-edge research to drive exciting developments in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. By innovating, learning and adapting, AbbVie aspires to eliminate the burden of IBD and make a positive long-term impact on the lives of people with IBD. For more information on AbbVie in gastroenterology, visit https://www.abbvie.com/our-science/therapeutic-focus-areas/immunology/immunology-focus-areas/gastroenterology.html.

About AbbVie
AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statements
Some statements in this news release are, or may be considered, forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions and uses of future or conditional verbs, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, challenges to intellectual property, competition from other products, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, and changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of AbbVie's 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. AbbVie undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines, to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

US-SKZG-240146

U.S. Media:
Shannelle Fowler
+1 (773) 520-2106
[email protected]

Investors:
Liz Shea
+1 (862) 261-8130
[email protected]

1 AbbVie. Data on file: ABVRRTI75696.
2 AbbVie. Data on File: ABVRRTI76012.
3 SKYRIZI [package insert]. North Chicago, IL: AbbVie Inc.; 2024.
4 Lewis JD, Parlett LE, Jonsson Funk ML, et al. Incidence, prevalence, and racial and ethnic distribution of inflammatory bowel disease in the United States. Gastroenterology. 2023;165(5). doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2023.07.003
5 The Facts about Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. 2014. Available at: https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2019-02/Updated%20IBD%20Factbook.pdf. Accessed June 2024.
6 Ulcerative colitis. Mayo Clinic. 2022. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ulcerative-colitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353326. Accessed June 2024
7 Monstad, I, Hovde O, Solberg IC, A Moum B. Clinical course and prognosis in ulcerative colitis: results from population-based and observational studies. Ann Gastroenterol. 2014;27(2):95-104
8 Gajendran M, Loganathan P, Jimenez G, et al. A comprehensive review and update on ulcerative colitis. Dis Mon. 2019;65(12):100851. doi:10.1016/j.disamonth.2019.02.004
9 Mehta F. Report: economic implications of inflammatory bowel disease and its management. Am J Manag Care. 2016;22(3 Suppl):s51-60.
10 Duvallet E, Sererano L, Assier E, Falgarone G, Boissier MC. Interleukin-23: a key cytokine in inflammatory diseases. Ann Med. 2011;43(7):503-11. doi:10.3109/07853890.2011.577093
11 Pipeline. AbbVie. Available at: https://www.abbvie.com/our-science/pipeline.html. Accessed June 2024.
12 A study comparing risankizumab to placebo in participants with active psoriatic arthritis including those who have a history of inadequate response or intolerance to biologic therapy(ies) (KEEPsAKE2). ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated June 18, 2024. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03671148. Accessed June 2024.
13 A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled induction study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of risankizumab in participants with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated August 1, 2023. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT03398148. Accessed June 2024.