Dive Brief:
- In a 52-week head-to-head trial in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, Novartis' Cosentyx proved more effective in clearing skin for a sustained period compared to Janssen's Stelara, Novartis said over the weekend.
- This positive data follows the FDA approving two new indications for Cosentyx, expanding its label to include anklylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis.
- First approved in January 2015, Cosentyx is an IL-17A inhibitor for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. It was approved in Europe for ankylsing spiondylitis and psoriatic arthritis last November.
Dive Insight:
Psoriasis and its related immunologic diseases, AS and PsA, are high prevalence conditions, affecting up to 1% of the population. Until the introduction of IL-17 inhibitors, TNF-inhibitors had been the mainstay treatment. However, up to 40% of patients with psoriasis are non-responsive to biologics.
The introduction of anti-IL17 Stelara in 2009 changed the treatment landscape for psoriasis dramatically. But other companies are building up their portfolio in the psoriasis space. Most recently, AbbVie paid Boehringer Ingelheim $595 million upfront to gain access to its IL-23 inhibitor, which also treats psoriasis.
Even as Stelara continues to generate solid earnings for Janssen (Q4 2015 earnings were $545 million, up 30.7%), Cosentyx's sales are rapidly accelerating. Analysts predicted mega-blockbuster status for Novartis' drug, anticipating sales of $4 billion to $5 billion by 2020.