Bimekizumab Ranks Top for Hidradenitis Efficacy
A network meta-analysis of 17 randomized trials ranks the drug first on short-term skin-clearance measures, though its industry funding is disclosed.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Healthcare
A network meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials found bimekizumab ranked first for short-term efficacy among hidradenitis suppurativa therapies. The analysis was presented at the 2026 Symposium on Hidradenitis Suppurativa Advances in Tucson, Arizona.
Why it matters
Head-to-head trials are rare in hidradenitis suppurativa, so indirect comparisons like this one may estimate relative efficacy until direct evidence is available. UCB funded the analysis, and four of its ten authors are UCB employees, which readers should weigh when interpreting the rankings.
Bimekizumab's SUCRA values were 96.2% for HiSCR50, 92.6% for HiSCR75 and 95.0% for IHS4-55, with odds ratios of 1.60 versus adalimumab on HiSCR75 and 1.79 versus sonelokimab on IHS4-55. The advantage over some newer agents was not statistically significant, and durability and safety were not assessed.
The players
UCB
UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company that markets bimekizumab and funded the network meta-analysis, with four of its ten authors being employees.
University of California, San Francisco
UCSF is a public research university whose institution is home to the lead investigator of the analysis.
The details
Investigators ran a systematic literature review of randomized controlled trials published through February 2026, with a targeted March 2026 search for additional phase 3 readouts. They tested Bayesian models with fixed and random effects, with and without placebo adjustment, and ranked treatments by SUCRA, reporting efficacy at weeks 12 to 16.
Timeline
February 2026: Literature review cutoff for included randomized controlled trials.
March 2026: Targeted search identified additional phase 3 readouts.
2026: Results presented at the Symposium on Hidradenitis Suppurativa Advances in Tucson, Arizona.
Health Landscape
Because head-to-head trials remain scarce in hidradenitis suppurativa, network meta-analyses presented at venues such as the Symposium on Hidradenitis Suppurativa Advances have become a principal way clinicians compare newer biologics. This ranking adds indirect evidence to a field still awaiting direct comparisons among its approved and emerging therapies.
For patients with hidradenitis suppurativa, the ranking suggests bimekizumab may produce faster skin clearance than some alternatives in short-term studies. Patients and clinicians should still consider long-term durability, safety and tolerability, which the analysis did not evaluate.
The takeaway
Indirect comparisons can guide treatment discussions but do not replace head-to-head trials. Patients should review durability and safety data alongside short-term efficacy rankings before choosing a therapy.
Further reading
Explore more pharmaceutical industry developments in our Healthcare section.
