First Fully Human IL-17A Inhibitor Shows Sustained Efficacy, Safety Profile for Psoriasis Treatment

Novartis has confirmed positive 5-year efficacy and safety results for Cosentyx from a phase 3, long-term extension study in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, the company announced.

The data will be presented at a key medical congress in the second half of 2017.

"Cosentyx has consistently demonstrated sustained efficacy and safety providing psoriasis patients a new standard of long-term care," said Vas Narasimhan, global head of drug development and chief medical officer for Novartis. "With the first data from a pivotal trial with 5 years of follow up, Cosentyx continues to demonstrate it can provide what psoriasis patients want, a life with clear skin."

The 4-year phase 3 data, which was presented at the 2016 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress, showed that Cosentyx delivered almost clear or completely clear skin in a majority of patients (PASI 90, 66%, PASI 100, 44%) after 4 years of treatment. That data also showed that 97% of PASI 90 and 99% of PASI 100 response rates were maintained from year 1 to year 4.

Cosentyx was launched in 2015 as the first and only fully-human interleukin-17A inhibitor to treat psoriasis. In addition to psoriasis, it is now licenced for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.