Cosentyx^® (secukinumab) meets clinical trial endpoints

A clinical trial testing the efficacy and safety of Cosentyx^® (secukinumab) has met its primary endpoints. The drug is for the treatment of patients with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA), an inflammatory disease.

The PREVENT Phase III trial, run by Novartis which produces the drug, is an ongoing two-year randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. It found a clinically meaningful reduction in disease activity for patients, when compared with the placebo.

Cosentyx® is the first and only fully-human biologic that directly inhibits interleukin-17A (IL-17A), a cytokine involved in inflammation and the development of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), psoriasis (PsO) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

“These study results for Cosentyx® build on our long-standing experience in ankylosing spondylitis and are a step toward a new treatment option that could allow patients to realise relief much earlier in axial spondyloarthritis,” said John Tsai, MD, Head of Global Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer for Novartis. “If approved, this would be the fourth indication for Cosentyx®.”

The pharmaceutical company has submitted an application to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for approval of the treatment.