Secukinumab (Cosentyx) may help reduce joint damage and support bone repair in people with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), according to a yearlong phase 4 clinical trial.

Secukinumab is a biologic that targets interleukin-17A (IL-17A), a protein involved in inflammation and bone remodeling in PsA. By blocking IL-17A, secukinumab may help reduce both destructive bone erosion (bone loss) and enthesophytes (abnormal bony growths where a ligament or tendon attaches) — two hallmark features of PsA joint damage.

Study Details: What the Researchers Found

The study involved 40 people with active PsA who had visible bone erosion in finger joints. Half received secukinumab and half received a placebo (inactive treatment). Over 48 weeks, researchers used high-resolution CT scans to measure changes in bone erosion and enthesophytes.

Key findings included:

• People taking secukinumab were more likely to show signs of bone erosion healing (51 percent vs. 30 percent in the placebo group).
• Secukinumab also reduced the odds of enthesophyte progression by nearly 75 percent.
• In contrast, those who took a placebo were more likely to develop new areas of erosion or bone growth.

Targeting IL-17A for PsA Relief

Joint changes in PsA can lead to pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Erosion and enthesophytes — types of structural joint damage — may contribute to difficulty with hand use and everyday tasks. This study suggests that secukinumab may help slow or reverse this damage over time, offering benefits beyond symptom relief.

Other therapies that target IL-17A, such as ixekizumab (Taltz), have also shown promise in treating multiple PsA symptoms — including peripheral joint damage, enthesitis (inflammation where tendons or ligaments attach to bone), and axial involvement (when PsA affects the spine and sacroiliac joints). Although more research is needed to directly compare their effects on bone repair, the growing body of evidence supports IL-17A as a key target in PsA management.

If you’re living with PsA and worried about joint damage, talk to your rheumatologist.

Learn more about the various immunosuppressant treatments for PsA and how they work.

Find Your Team

On MyPsoriasisTeam, the social network for people living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with PsA.

Have you noticed changes in your joints over time? Have you tried treatments that target bone damage or inflammation? Share your experience in a comment below, start a conversation on your Activities page, or connect with like-minded members in Groups.