PBR Staff Writer Published 20 January 2015 <\/p>\n
The European Commission (EC) has approved Swiss drug-maker Novartis' Cosentyx (secukinumab, formerly known as AIN457) to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy. <\/p>\n
Cosentyx 300mg is the first and only interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor to be approved in Europe providing a new first-line biologic treatment option for these patients. <\/p>\n
At present, all biologic treatments for psoriasis, including anti-tumor necrosis factor therapies (anti-TNFs) and Stelara (ustekinumab) are recommended for second-line systemic therapy in Europe. <\/p>\n
Novartis Pharmaceuticals division head David Epstein said: \"With this groundbreaking news from the European Commission, clear skin may now be a reality for patients living with psoriasis. <\/p>\n
\"Nearly half of psoriasis patients are not content with current therapies, including biologic treatments, showing a significant unmet need for patients. <\/p>\n
\"Cosentyx, with a first-line systemic indication for treatment of psoriasis will provide patients a better chance of achieving clear or almost clear skin.\" <\/p>\n
In Phase III clinical trials, 70% or more patients treated with Cosentyx 300mg achieved clear skin (PASI 100) or almost clear skin (PASI 90), during the first 16 weeks of treatment. <\/p>\n
The European approval follows the recent results of the Phase IIIb CLEAR trial, which showed that Cosentyx was superior to Stelara in clearing skin of patients living with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. <\/p>\n
The company said that Cosentyx also showed superiority to Enbrel (etanercept) in clearing skin in the FIXTURE study. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Read more here:<\/p>\n
European Commission approves Novartis' psoriasis drug Cosentyx<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PBR Staff Writer Published 20 January 2015 The European Commission (EC) has approved Swiss drug-maker Novartis' Cosentyx (secukinumab, formerly known as AIN457) to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy. Cosentyx 300mg is the first and only interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor to be approved in Europe providing a new first-line biologic treatment option for these patients Continue reading