Novartis announced data showing Cosentyx (secukinumab) shows sustained improvements in the signs and symptoms for active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) at 3 years, consistent with previous findings in active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) at 3 years. New data also show Cosentyx provides rapid and sustained pain relief in patients with active PsA out to 2 years[3]. These findings were presented at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2017), in Madrid, Spain.
Cosentyx is the only fully human interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor to demonstrate 3-year efficacy and safety in Phase III studies of both AS and PsA[1],[2],[5], which are life-long debilitating inflammatory diseases. Cosentyx is also used to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis, which is significant as up to 8 in 10 patients with PsA also have psoriasis.
“These data reconfirm that Cosentyx provides patients with long-lasting relief from the symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, as well as now demonstrating rapid pain relief from psoriatic arthritis”, said Vas Narasimhan, Global Head of Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer, Novartis. “We are pleased that Cosentyx continues to provide sustained benefits for patients with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.”
In the MEASURE 1 extension study, 80% of AS patients consistently achieved an ASAS 20 response (Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society response criteria) at 3 years. This was consistent with previous findings from the FUTURE 1 study in active PsA where Cosentyx demonstrated sustained improvements in the signs and symptoms of disease in approximately 80% of patients at 3 years as measured by ACR 20 response (American College of Rheumatology response criteria).
A 2-year post-hoc analysis of the FUTURE 2 study evaluated Cosentyx in PsA, where almost every patient (99%) reported moderate-to-extreme pain or discomfort before initiating treatment. By Week 3, half of those (50%) treated with Cosentyx reported clinically meaningful improvements in pain of over 20%, as measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)[3]. At Week 4, the proportion of patients reporting no pain or discomfort was greater for Cosentyx (15%) than for placebo (5%) and this increased through to Week 104 (28%)[3]. Cosentyx continues to have a favorable safety profile, which was consistent with that shown in Phase III studies.
Cosentyx is the only IL-17A inhibitor approved in psoriasis, PsA and AS with more than 80,000 patients treated in the post-marketing setting worldwide across all indications[11].
Filed Under: Drug Discovery
