Johnson & Johnson Announces That TREMFYA Met Primary And Major Secondary Endpoints Demonstrating Both Improvement In Axial Symptoms And Reduction In Inflammation By MRI Assessment In The Phase 4 STAR Study Evaluating Biologic-Naïve Adults With Active Psoriatic Arthritis And Axial Involvement
Key takeaways
- TREMFYA’s STAR trial confirms it works for axial psoriatic arthritis, boosting its therapeutic profile and market prospects.
- 24‑week primary endpoint achieved
- BASDAI composite score improvement
- ASDAS‑CRP reduction
What happened
Johnson & Johnson’s biologic drug TREMFYA passed its primary and major secondary endpoints in the Phase 4 STAR study, showing significant improvement in axial psoriatic arthritis symptoms and a marked reduction in MRI‑detected sacroiliac joint inflammation at 24 weeks versus placebo.
Why it matters
The STAR trial is the first randomized, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled study to evaluate an IL‑23 inhibitor specifically in patients with axial involvement confirmed by MRI, filling a critical evidence gap for this high‑burden disease subset. Positive results support TREMFYA’s positioning as a first‑line therapy…
Short-term and longer-term
Short-term. Short‑term traders should watch for a potential lift in JNJ shares as the STAR data are released, especially if the company highlights the MRI‑based inflammation reduction.
Longer-term. Over the next few months, investors should monitor how the STAR results affect JNJ’s market share in the PsA segment, particularly against competitors like IL‑17 inhibitors.