Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high-quality medicines for the treatment of oncology, autoimmune, cardiovascular and metabolic, ophthalmology and other major diseases, announces that primary endpoint of 12-week induction period was met in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 clinical study (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05377580) of picankibart (R&D code: IBI112), a recombinant anti-interleukin 23p19 subunit (IL-23p19) antibody injection, in Chinese subjects with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC).

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of picankibart for the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (modified Mayo score of 4 to 9 with an endoscopic subscore of ≥2) consisting of induction and maintenance periods. A total of 150 subjects were enrolled and randomized in a 1: 1: 1 ratio to receive intravenous infusion of placebo, picankibart 200 mg, or picankibart 600 mg at weeks 0, 4, and 8 during the induction period. During maintenance period, subjects received subcutaneous injection of picankibart 200 mg every 4 or 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was the proportion of subjects who achieved clinical remission (per modified Mayo score, defined as a rectal bleeding subscore of 0, a stool frequency subscore of ≤1, and an endoscopic subscore of ≤1) at week 12. Secondary endpoints included the proportion of subjects who achieved clinical response, symptomatic remission, endoscopic remission, or histologic-endoscopic mucosal remission compared to the placebo group.

The primary and secondary endpoints were met:

• The proportion of subjects who achieved clinical remission was significantly higher in the picankibart 200 mg group (20.0%) and 600 mg group (14.0%) than in the placebo group (2.0%; p < 0.05).
• Clinical response was achieved in 54.0% and 68.0% of subjects in the picankibart 200 mg and 600 mg groups, respectively, which was significantly higher than in the placebo group (22.0%; p < 0.001).
• In addition, the proportion of subjects who achieved symptomatic remission, endoscopic remission, or histologic-endoscopic mucosal remission in the picankibart 200 mg and 600 mg groups than in the placebo group.

The overall safety profile of the picankibart groups was favorable and similar to that of previous studies and other IL-23 class drugs, with no new safety signals observed.

To date, the maintenance period of the study is ongoing, and the proportions of subjects who have achieved clinical remission, clinical response, symptomatic remission, endoscopic remission, or histologic-endoscopic mucosal remission have continued to increase compared to induction period. Detailed data will be further analyzed and published at future academic congresses or in clinical journals.