Amgen Inc. (AMGN) and AstraZeneca Plc (AZN)s experimental drug brodalumab eased symptoms of psoriasis at both doses tested in a key study needed for U.S. approval. <\/p>\n
The medicine for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis dispersed the thick red patchy scales on patients skin, leaving it markedly clearer than those getting a placebo, the companies said today in a statement. The study is the first from the final round of tests on the drug. Two studies comparing it with Johnson & Johnsons Stelara are expected by year end, said Sean Harper, executive vice president of research and development for Amgen, the worlds biggest biotechnology company by revenue. <\/p>\n
The psoriasis drug is part of a 2012 collaboration between Thousand Oaks, California-based Amgen and London-based AstraZeneca to develop five medicines from Amgens portfolio of therapies for inflammation. AstraZeneca is currently grappling with a $106 billion acquisition bid from Pfizer Inc., which executives rejected last week as too low because it undervalued the U.K. companys drug pipeline. <\/p>\n
Brodalumab works in a different manner than existing drugs and rivals in development, latching on to the interleukin 17 receptor and blocking inflammation thats a key driver of the disease. Novartis AG and Eli Lilly & Co. are also working on medicines to treat psoriasis, which would compete with drugs including J&Js Stelara and Amgens Enbrel. <\/p>\n
The study of 661 patients found 83 percent in the high-dose brodalumab arm and 60 percent getting a lower dose had the severity of their disease lessen by at least 75 percent after three months of treatment, compared with a similar benefit in 2.7 percent of patients given a placebo. <\/p>\n
About 125 million people worldwide suffer from the skin condition, including about 7.5 million Americans, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. <\/p>\n
To contact the reporter on this story: Michelle Fay Cortez in Minneapolis at mcortez@bloomberg.net<\/a> <\/p>\n To contact the editors responsible for this story: Reg Gale at rgale5@bloomberg.net<\/a> Andrew Pollack, Angela Zimm <\/p>\n <\/p>\n See more here: Amgen Inc. (AMGN) and AstraZeneca Plc (AZN)s experimental drug brodalumab eased symptoms of psoriasis at both doses tested in a key study needed for U.S. Continue reading
\nAmgen-AstraZeneca Experimental Medicine Eases Psoriasis<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"