Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) can be especially tough to treat when biologics haven’t helped enough. New phase 3 data suggest an investigational treatment called izokibep may help people who have previously tried a biologic.
As reported by Dermatology Times, researchers presented the results at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting. Izokibep, developed by Affibody, a partner of Acelyrin, blocks IL-17A, an inflammatory protein tied to HS. The trial tested it against a placebo in adults with moderate to severe disease.
What the trial found
At week 12, significantly more people on izokibep than on placebo saw at least a 75 percent drop in the combined number of abscesses and inflamed nodules, with no uptick in abscesses or draining tunnels. That held true for people who had never taken a biologic and for those who had, a group whose HS is often harder to treat.
Patients on izokibep also had bigger reductions in abscesses and nodules overall, plus improvements in disease severity and pain, one of the biggest factors in how much HS disrupts daily life.
Results that kept building
Improvements showed up early and continued through week 32 among people who stayed on izokibep. That matters for a chronic condition like HS, which needs long-term control. The placebo group switched to izokibep at week 16, so there was no placebo comparison at week 32.
How it held up on safety
Side effects were generally mild to moderate and in line with what’s expected for this type of medication, with no new or unexpected safety concerns reported. Rates of serious side effects, and of people stopping treatment because of side effects, were low and similar between the two groups. As with similar treatments, monitoring for infections is still important, though the analysis reported no significant increase in serious infections.
What happens next
Izokibep’s design may give it an edge in potency and in reaching inflamed tissue, but studies comparing it directly with existing treatments are still needed to know where it fits. Ongoing research will also show how it performs and how safe it is over the long term. For people with HS who have already tried biologics, it’s a treatment worth keeping an eye on.
