06:44 AM EDT, 09/29/2025 (MT Newswires) -- MoonLake Immunotherapeutics ( MLTX ) said Monday its experimental drug, sonelokimab, met the primary and key secondary endpoints in two Phase 3 trials for moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa, a chronic inflammatory skin disease.

The drugmaker reported that 34.8% and 35.9% of patients treated with sonelokimab achieved the primary endpoint, which is a reduction in skin abscesses and inflammation. These are compared with 17.5% and 25.6%, respectively, in the placebo groups.

The company said the drug also met secondary goals, including pain reduction and improved quality of life.

However, late-stage clinical trial data showed that a rival treatment from UCB is superior, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing an analyst.

The Morgan Stanley analyst told Bloomberg that sonelokimab's combined placebo-adjusted efficacy was 14%, which is lower than the 18% benefit shown by UCB's drug Bimzelx in previously announced trial results.

MoonLake said it plans to discuss interim results with regulators, taking into account the higher-than-expected placebo response in one of the phase 3 trials, and to determine the path toward submitting a marketing application.

Shares of MoonLake fell 87% in Monday's premarket trading.

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