Sustained improvements in spinal pain, morning stiffness, fatigue, sleep, physical function and overall health-related quality of life with bimekizumab in patients with axial spondyloarthritis: 2-year results from two phase 3 studies

Helena Marzo-Ortega, Victoria Navarro-Compan, Maureen Dubreuil, Philip J. Mease, Marina Magrey, Martin Rudwaleit, Maria Antonietta D’Agostino, Karl Gaffney, Jonathan Kay, Christine de la Loge, Ute Massow, Vanessa Taieb, Tom Vaux, Atul Deodhar

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: To assess the long-term effect of bimekizumab, a dual inhibitor of IL-17A and IL-17F, on patient-reported symptoms, function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) from phase 3 studies and their open-label extension. 

Methods: BE MOBILE 1 (non-radiographic-axSpA) and 2 (radiographic-axSpA) comprised 16-week double-blind placebo-controlled and 36-week maintenance periods. From week 16, all patients received subcutaneous bimekizumab 160mg every 4 weeks. At week 52, eligible patients could enrol in the open-label extension BE MOVING and continue bimekizumab treatment. Spinal pain (rated on a numerical rating scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (maximum pain)), morning stiffness (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) average of Q5/6), fatigue (BASDAI Q1; Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT)-Fatigue subscale), sleep quality (Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Sleep Scale Index II), physical function (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI)) and HRQoL (36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) physical component summary (PCS)/mental component summary (MCS); Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (ASQoL) questionnaire) were reported to week 104. 

Results: In total, 494/586 (84.3%) patients entered BE MOVING at week 52; 456 completed week 104. Patients reported substantial changes from baseline to week 104 in total spinal pain (−4.3), nocturnal spinal pain (−4.3), morning stiffness (−4.3) and fatigue (BASDAI Q1: −3.4; FACIT-Fatigue: +9.9). Over half reported total and nocturnal spinal pain scores ≤3 at week 104. Similar improvements to week 104 were shown in sleep (MOS-Sleep Scale: +10.2), physical function (BASFI: −2.9) and HRQoL (SF-36 PCS: +12.4; ASQoL: −5.6).

Conclusions: Bimekizumab treatment resulted in sustained improvements in patient-reported symptoms and their impacts across the full disease spectrum of axSpA over 2 years, underscoring its long-term potential for improving patients’ daily lives.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere006013
JournalRMD Open
Volume11
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 28 Nov 2025

Keywords

  • Axial Spondyloarthritis
  • Fatigue
  • Health-Related Quality Of Life
  • Pain
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measures

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