Psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease that can affect the skin, joints, and nails. The treatment of the disease is offered by the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS) in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health. The aim of this study was to analyze real-world data (RWD) on the implementation and use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for the treatment of psoriasis in the SUS.

This is a descriptive study that used national administrative data on drug dispensing from the Open Room for Health Intelligence Situation (SABEIS-SUS) from October 2019 to December 2021. Adult individuals (≥18 years) with vulgar (L40.0), generalized pustular (L40.1), gutata (L40.4) and other (L40.8) psoriasis who used the mAbs adalimumab, etanercept, risankizumab, secukinumab and ustekinumab were included.

The year of implementation of mAbs for the treatment of psoriasis in the SUS was October 2019 (adalimumab, etanercept and secukinumab) and May 2020 (ustekinumab). Risankizumab was implemented in April 2022. The number of individuals using mAb grew from 366 in 2019 to 10,146 in 2021. In 2019, 2020 and 2021, the proportion of individuals using each mAbs was 62.3 percent, 46.2 percent and 35.4 percent (adalimumab), 7.9 percent, 3.3 percent and 2.7 percent (etanercept), 29.8 percent, 33.8 percent and 30.5 percent (secukinumab), 0 percent, 16.7 percent and 31.4 percent (ustekinumab), respectively.

The number of mAbs users has greatly increased from 2019 to 2021, which may indicate a successful implementation of the psoriasis treatment in SUS. Most individuals used adalimumab in the year of the first implementation. However, the proportion of users of this mAb has greatly decreased after the implementation of ustekinumab. This reduction should not be so expressive since adalimumab and ustekinumab are recommended in different lines of treatment. The low proportion of etanercept use may be due the fact the medication is indicated for individuals up 18 years of age. This study provides important real-word evidence for monitoring the implementation of mAbs for psoriasis treatment in Brazil.