A Phase 4 Study of Efficacy and Safety of Apremilast in Subjects With Moderate Plaque Psoriasis. (UNVEIL)

A Phase 4, Multicenter, Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Double-blind, Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Apremilast (CC-10004) in Subjects With Moderate Plaque Psoriasis

This study will evaluate the clinical efficacy, the patients quality of life, and safety of oral apremilast 30 mg twice daily (BID) compared to placebo, in adult patients with moderate plaque psoriasis during the 16 week Placebo controlled Phase and then upto 1 year in the Extension Phase of the trial.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Parapsoriasis
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Apremilast; Drug: Placebo; Drug: Placebo-Apremilast

Detailed Description

This is a Phase 4, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study of the efficacy and safety of apremilast in subjects with moderate plaque psoriasis. 221 participants were randomized 2 (apremilast):1 (placebo) at approximately 25 sites in the United States. Those randomized to the apremilast treatment group received apremilast 30 mg tablets orally twice daily for 52 weeks. Those randomized to the placebo treatment group received placebo tablets (identical in appearance to the apremilast 30 mg tablets) orally twice daily (BID) for 16 weeks. Beginning Week 16, those initially randomized to placebo were switched to receive apremilast 30 mg BID for an additional 36 weeks (52 weeks total).

Study enrolled adult patients with stable moderate plaque psoriasis, who are naïve to systemic psoriasis treatments.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 221
• Phase: Phase 4

Expanded Access

No longer available outside the clinical trial. See expanded access record.

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Alabama
    • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35233
      • UAB at Birmingham - The Kirklin Clinic
  • California
    • Fremont, California, United States, 94538
      • Center For Dermatology
    • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90045
      • Dermatology Research Associates
    • Newport Beach, California, United States, 92663
      • Blue Harbor Dermatology
    • Sacramento, California, United States, 95819
      • Center for Dermatology and Laser Surgery
    • San Leandro, California, United States, 94578
      • East Bay Rheumatology Medical
    • Tustin, California, United States, 92780
      • Tien Q. Nguyen MD Inc
  • Connecticut
    • Farmington, Connecticut, United States, 06030
      • UCONN Health Center
  • Florida
    • Panama City, Florida, United States, 32405-4542
      • Dermatology Associates
    • Tampa, Florida, United States, 33612
      • USF Health Faculty Office Building-FOB
    • Tampa, Florida, United States, 33624
      • Forward Clinical Trials Inc
  • Georgia
    • Macon, Georgia, United States, 31217
      • Dermatologic Surgery Specialists, P.C.
  • Indiana
    • Carmel, Indiana, United States, 46032
      • Shideler Clinical Research Center
  • Kentucky
    • Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 40217
      • DermResearch, PLLC
    • Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 40202
      • Dermatology Specialists, PSC
  • Maryland
    • Rockville, Maryland, United States, 20850
      • Lawrence Green, MD, LLC
  • Michigan
    • Detroit, Michigan, United States, 48202
      • Henry Ford Hospital
  • Nevada
    • Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, 89052
      • Las Vegas Skin and Cancer Clinics
  • New Jersey
    • East Windsor, New Jersey, United States, 08520
      • Psoriasis Treatment Center of Central New Jersey
  • New York
    • Garden City, New York, United States, 11530
      • Garden City Dermatology
    • New York, New York, United States, 10075
      • Sadick Research Group
    • Rochester, New York, United States, 14623
      • Dermatology Associates of Rochester PC
  • Ohio
    • Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45267-0501
      • University of Cincinnati
  • South Carolina
    • Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 29414
      • Dermatology and Laser Center of Charleston
  • Utah
    • Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84132
      • University of Utah School of Medicine
  • Virginia
    • Lynchburg, Virginia, United States, 24501
      • Dermatology Consultants, Inc.

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Males or females, ≥ 18 years of age at the time of signing the informed consent document.
2. Understand and voluntarily sign an informed consent document prior to any study related assessments/procedures being conducted.
3. Able to adhere to the study visit schedule and other protocol requirements.
4. Diagnosis of chronic plaque psoriasis for at least 6 months prior to signing the informed consent.

5. Have moderate plaque psoriasis at screening and baseline as defined by

   1. BSA (Body Surface Area)5% to 10% and
   2. sPGA (Physician's Global Assessment) 3 (moderate) based on a 0 to 5 point scale
6. Must be in general good health (except for psoriasis) as judged by the investigator, based on medical history, physical examination, and clinical laboratories.
7. No prior exposure to systemic treatments or biologics for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, or any other indication that could impact the assessment of psoriasis.
8. Females of childbearing potential (FCBP)must have a negative pregnancy test at Screening and Baseline. While on investigational product and for at least 28 days after taking the last dose of investigational product, FCBP who engage in activity in which conception is possible must use one of the approved contraceptive§ options described below: Option 1: Any one of the following highly effective methods: hormonal contraception (oral, injection, implant, transdermal patch, vaginal ring); intrauterine device (IUD); tubal ligation; or partner's vasectomy; OR Option 2: Male or female condom (latex condom or nonlatex condom NOT made out of natural [animal] membrane [for example, polyurethane]) PLUS one additional barrier method: (a) diaphragm with spermicide; (b) cervical cap with spermicide; or (c) contraceptive sponge with spermicide.
9. Male subjects (including those who have had a vasectomy) who engage in activity in which conception is possible must use barrier contraception (male latex condom or nonlatex condom NOT made out of natural [animal] membrane [for example, polyurethane]) while on investigational product and for at least 28 days after the last dose of investigational product

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Other than psoriasis, any clinically significant (as determined by the Investigator) cardiac, endocrinologic, pulmonary, neurologic, psychiatric, hepatic, renal, hematologic,immunologic disease, or other major disease that is currently uncontrolled.
2. Any condition, including the presence of laboratory abnormalities, which would place the subject at unacceptable risk if he/she were to participate in the study.
3. Any condition, including other inflammatory diseases or dermatologic conditions, which confounds the ability to interpret data from the study, including other types of psoriasis (ie, erythrodermic, guttate, inverse, or pustular psoriasis), other than plaque psoriasis.
4. Prior history of suicide attempt at any time in the subject's life time prior to signing the informed consent and randomization, or major psychiatric illness requiring hospitalization within the last 3 years prior to signing the informed consent.
5. Pregnant or breast feeding.
6. Active substance abuse or a history of substance abuse within 6 months prior to signing the informed consent.

7. Malignancy or history of malignancy, except for:

   1. treated (ie, cured) basal cell or squamous cell in situ skin carcinomas;
   2. treated (ie, cured) cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) or carcinoma in situ of the cervix with no evidence of recurrence within 5 years of signing the informed consent.
8. Topical therapy within 2 weeks of randomization (including, but not limited to, topical corticosteroids, retinoids or vitamin D analog preparations, tacrolimus, pimecrolimus, or anthralin/dithranol). Use of phototherapy within 4 weeks prior to randomization.
9. Use of any investigational drug within 4 weeks prior to randomization, or 5 pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic half-lives, if known (whichever is longer).
10. Prolonged sun exposure or use of tanning booths, which may confound the ability to interpret data from the study.
11. Prior treatment with apremilast.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Apremilast; Apremilast 30 mg tablets orally twice daily (BID) weeks 0 to 52.	Drug: Apremilast; Apremilast 30 mg tablets orally twice daily (BID) weeks 0 to 52.; Other Names: CC-10004, Otzela; Drug: Placebo; Participants randomized to the placebo treatment group received placebo tablets (identical in appearance to the apremilast 30 mg tablets) orally BID for from weeks 0-16.; Drug: Placebo-Apremilast; At Week 16, those randomized to placebo were switched to apremilast 30mg BID for an additional 36 weeks (52 weeks total); Other Names: CC-10004; Otezla
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; Placebo tablets BID during Weeks 0 to 16; at week 16, placebo participants were switched to apremilast 30 mg tablets BID for 36 weeks (from week 16 to week 52)	Drug: Placebo; Participants randomized to the placebo treatment group received placebo tablets (identical in appearance to the apremilast 30 mg tablets) orally BID for from weeks 0-16.; Drug: Placebo-Apremilast; At Week 16, those randomized to placebo were switched to apremilast 30mg BID for an additional 36 weeks (52 weeks total); Other Names: CC-10004; Otezla

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mean Percentage Change From Baseline in the Product of BSA (%) and the sPGA Which is Considered as the Total Psoriasis Severity Index at Week 16	BSA is a measurement of involved skin. The overall BSA affected by psoriasis is estimated based on the palm area of the participant's hand (entire palmar surface or "handprint" including the fingers), which equates to approximately 1% of total body surface area. The sPGA is a 6-point scale ranging from 0 (clear), 1 (almost clear), 2 (mild), 3 (moderate), to 4 (severe), 5 (very severe) incorporating a separate assessment of the severity of the three primary signs of the plaques of all involved areas: erythema, scaling and plaque elevation with an overall sPGA calculated as (E + I + D)/3. Scores for each assessment are rounded to the nearest whole number to result in the final score. The range of BSA*sPGA mean percentage change from baseline to week 16 (end of phase) were -100 to 344.4 and -100 to 100 for the placebo and apremilast groups respectively. Higher scores represented worse outcomes.	Baseline to Week 16 (end of phase)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mean Change From Baseline in the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) Total Score at Week 16	DLQI is a simple, compact, and practical questionnaire for use in a dermatology clinical setting to assess limitations related to the impact of skin disease. The instrument contains ten items dealing with the participant's skin. With the exception of Item Number 7, the participant responds on a four-point scale, ranging from "Very Much" (score 3) to "Not at All" or "Not relevant" (score 0). Item Number 7 is a multi-part item, the first part of which ascertains whether the participant's skin prevented them from working or studying (Yes or No, scores 3 or 0 respectively), and if "No," then the participant is asked how much of a problem the skin has been at work or study over the past week, with response alternatives being "A lot," "A little," or "Not at all" (scores 2, 1, or 0 respectively). The DLQI total score is derived by summing all item scores, which has a possible range of 0 to 30, with 30 corresponding to the worst quality of life, and 0 corresponding to the best.	Baseline to Week 16 (end of phase)
Percentage of Participants Who Achieved a sPGA Score of Clear (0) or Almost Clear (1) at Week 16 From Baseline	The sPGA is an assessment by the investigator of the overall disease severity at the time of evaluation. Erythema (E), induration (I), and desquamation (D) are scored on a 6-point scale, ranging from 0 (clear) to 5 (very severe), with an overall sPGA calculated as (E + I + D)/3. Scores for each assessment are averaged and rounded to the nearest whole number to result in the final sPGA score.	Baseline to Week 16 (end of phase)
Percentage of Participants Who Achieved a Clear (0) or Very Mild (1) on Patient Global Assessment (PtGA) Scale at Week 16 From Baseline	The PtGA response rate is defined as the percentage of participants achieving 0 (clear) or 1 (very mild) on the PtGA scale at Week 16. The PtGA is the assessment by the participant of the overall disease severity at the time of evaluation. The PtGA is a 5-point scale ranging from 0 (clear) to 4 (severe).	Baseline to Week 16 (end of phase)
Mean Change From Baseline in Pruritus Visual Analog Scale (VAS)	The Pruritus VAS assessment was conducted at the baseline visit and each post-baseline visit. The participant was asked to place a vertical stroke on a 100 mm VAS on which the left-hand boundary (0) represents no itch, and the right-hand boundary (100) represents itch as severe as can be imagined. The distance from the mark to the left-hand boundary will be recorded. The Pruritus VAS score ranges from 0 to 100. Higher scores correspond to more severe symptom.	Baseline to Weeks 1 and 16 (end of phase)
Percentage of Participants With Scalp Psoriasis Who Achieved a Clear (0) or Minimal (1) on Scalp Physician's Global Assessment (ScPGA) Scale at Week 16.	The ScPGA assessed scalp involvement, if present at baseline. The 6-point ScPGA scale includes three dimensions (Plaque Thickening, Scaling, and Erythema) and a global assessment. Scores range from 0 (clear), 1 (minimal), 2 (mild), 3 (moderate), 4 (severe), to 5 (very severe). Analysis of ScPGA was restricted to the participants with scalp involvement at baseline.	Baseline to Week 16 (end of phase)
Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM) Version II at Week 16	The TSQM version II is an 11-question self-administered instrument to understand a participation's satisfaction with the current therapy. The TSQM scale comprises four domains, on which participants evaluate their medication (i.e., effectiveness, side effects, convenience and global satisfaction. TSQM scores range from 0 to 100 for each domain; a higher score mean indicates higher satisfaction with treatment.	Baseline to Week 16 (end of phase)
Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM) Version II at Week 52	The TSQM version II is an 11-question self-administered instrument to understand a participants satisfaction on the current therapy. The TSQM scale comprises four domains, on which participants evaluate their medication (i.e., effectiveness, side effects, convenience and global satisfaction. TSQM scores range from 0 to 100 for each domain; a higher score indicates higher satisfaction with treatment.	Baseline to week 52
Mean Percentage Change From Baseline in Psoriasis Area Severity Index Score (PASI) at Week 16	The PASI score is a measure of psoriatic disease severity taking into account qualitative lesion characteristics (erythema, thickness, and scaling) and degree of skin surface area involvement on defined anatomical regions. Erythema, thickness, and scaling are scored on a scale of 0 (none) to 4 (very severe) on 4 anatomic regions of the body: head, trunk, upper limbs, and lower limbs. Degree of involvement on each of the 4 anatomic regions is scored on a scale of 0 (no involvement) to 6 (90% to 100% involvement). PASI scores range from 0 to 72, with higher scores reflecting greater disease severity.	Baseline to Week 16 (end of phase)
Percentage of Participants Who Achieved at Least a 50% Improvement (Response) in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI)-50 From Baseline at Week 16.	The PASI score is a measure of psoriatic disease severity taking into account qualitative lesion characteristics (erythema, thickness, and scaling) and degree of skin surface area involvement on defined anatomical regions. Erythema, thickness, and scaling are scored on a scale of 0 (none) to 4 (very severe) on 4 anatomic regions of the body: head, trunk, upper limbs, and lower limbs. Degree of involvement on each of the 4 anatomic regions is scored on a scale of 0 (no involvement) to 6 (90% to 100% involvement). PASI scores range from 0 to 72, with higher scores reflecting greater disease severity.	Baseline to Week 16 (end of phase)
Percentage of Participants Who Achieved at Least a 75% Improvement (Response) in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI)-75 From Baseline at Week 16	The PASI score is a measure of psoriatic disease severity taking into account qualitative lesion characteristics (erythema, thickness, and scaling) and degree of skin surface area involvement on defined anatomical regions. Erythema, thickness, and scaling are scored on a scale of 0 (none) to 4 (very severe) on 4 anatomic regions of the body: head, trunk, upper limbs, and lower limbs. Degree of involvement on each of the 4 anatomic regions is scored on a scale of 0 (no involvement) to 6 (90% to 100% involvement). PASI scores range from 0 to 72, with higher scores reflecting greater disease severity.	Baseline to Week 16 (end of phase)
Mean Percentage Change From Baseline in the Product of BSA (%) x sPGA at Week 52	BSA is a measurement of involved skin. The overall BSA affected by psoriasis is estimated based on the palm area of the participant's hand (entire palmar surface or "handprint" including the fingers), which equates to approximately 1% of total body surface area. The sPGA is a 6-point scale ranging from 0 (clear), 1 (almost clear), 2 (mild), 3 (moderate), to 4 (severe), 5 (very severe) incorporating a separate assessment of the severity of the three primary signs of the plaques of all involved areas: erythema, scaling and plaque elevation with an overall sPGA calculated as (E + I + D)/3. Scores for each assessment are rounded to the nearest whole number to result in the final score.	Baseline to Week 52
Percentage of Participants With Scalp Psoriasis Who Were Initially Randomized to Apremilast and Maintained the Scalp Physician's Global Assessment (ScPGA) Response From Week 16 to Week 52.	The ScPGA will assess scalp involvement, if present at baseline. The 6-point ScPGA scale includes three dimensions (Plaque Thickening, Scaling, and Erythema) and a global assessment with scores range from 0 (clear), 1 (minimal), 2 (mild), 3 (moderate), 4 (severe), to 5 (very severe). Analysis of ScPGA is restricted to the participants with scalp involvement at baseline.	Week 16 to Week 52
Number of Participants Who Experienced Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) During the Placebo Controlled Phase	Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) are defined as any AEs that begin or worsen on or after the start of study drug through 28 days after the last dose of study drug or study treatment discontinuation date, whichever was later. A serious AE (SAE) is any untoward adverse event that is fatal, life-threatening, results in persistent or significant disability or incapacity, requires or prolongs existing in-patient hospitalization, is a congenital anomaly/birth defect, or is a condition that may jeopardize the patient or may require intervention to prevent one of the outcomes listed above.	From first dose of study drug to Week 16; maximum duration of exposure was 20.1 weeks during placebo controlled phase
Number of Participants Who Experienced Treatment-emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) During the Apremilast-Exposure Phase	Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) are defined as any AEs that begin or worsen on or after the start of study drug through 28 days after the last dose of study drug or study treatment discontinuation date, whichever was later. A serious AE (SAE) is any untoward adverse event that is fatal, life-threatening, results in persistent or significant disability or incapacity, requires or prolongs existing in-patient hospitalization, is a congenital anomaly/birth defect, or is a condition that may jeopardize the patient or may require intervention to prevent one of the outcomes listed above.	Date of first dose of apremilast during the placebo controlled phase or date of first dose of apremilast after week 16; overall maximum duration of exposure was 61.5 weeks during apremilast-exposure phase

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Amgen
• Investigators: Study Director: MD, Amgen

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Reich K, Mrowietz U, Menter A, Griffiths CEM, Bagel J, Strober B, Nunez Gomez N, Shi R, Guerette B, Lebwohl M. Effect of baseline disease severity on achievement of treatment target with apremilast: results from a pooled analysis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2021 Dec;35(12):2409-2414. doi: 10.1111/jdv.17520. Epub 2021 Aug 23.
• Stein Gold L, Bagel J, Lebwohl M, Jackson JM, Chen R, Goncalves J, Levi E, Duffin KC. Efficacy and Safety of Apremilast in Systemic- and Biologic-Naive Patients With Moderate Plaque Psoriasis: 52-Week Results of UNVEIL. J Drugs Dermatol. 2018 Feb 1;17(2):221-228.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 20, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 12, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): November 22, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 3, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 23, 2015
• First Posted (Estimated): April 24, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 5, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 1, 2023
• Last Verified: April 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Safety; Plaque Psoriasis; CC-10004; Apremilast; Moderate Plaque Psoriasis; Parapsoriasis
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Skin Diseases; Skin Diseases, Papulosquamous; Psoriasis; Parapsoriasis; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Anti-Infective Agents; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Enzyme Inhibitors; Analgesics; Sensory System Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antirheumatic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Immunosuppressive Agents; Immunologic Factors; Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Angiogenesis Modulating Agents; Growth Substances; Growth Inhibitors; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Leprostatic Agents; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitors; Thalidomide; Apremilast
• Other Study ID Numbers: CC-10004-PSOR-012

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: De-identified individual patient data for variables necessary to address the specific research question in an approved data sharing request
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Data sharing requests relating to this study will be considered beginning 18 months after the study has ended and either 1) the product and indication have been granted marketing authorization in both the US and Europe or 2) clinical development for the product and/or indication discontinues and the data will not be submitted to regulatory authorities. There is no end date for eligibility to submit a data sharing request for this study.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Qualified researchers may submit a request containing the research objectives, the Amgen product(s) and Amgen study/studies in scope, endpoints/outcomes of interest, statistical analysis plan, data requirements, publication plan, and qualifications of the researcher(s). In general, Amgen does not grant external requests for individual patient data for the purpose of re-evaluating safety and efficacy issues already addressed in the product labelling. Requests are reviewed by a committee of internal advisors. If not approved, a Data Sharing Independent Review Panel will arbitrate and make the final decision. Upon approval, information necessary to address the research question will be provided under the terms of a data sharing agreement. This may include anonymized individual patient data and/or available supporting documents, containing fragments of analysis code where provided in analysis specifications. Further details are available at the URL below.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP; ICF; CSR