Dive Brief:
- Cosentyx (secukinumab) is an interleukin-17 (IL-17) inhibitor intended for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. If approved by the FDA, this drug will compete with the current standard of care—tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers.
- In a phase III trial involving 679 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, patients taking Cosentyx achieved clear or almost clear skin after 16 weeks.
- With respect to secondary endpoints, patients achieved at least a 75% improvement in disease severity at week 4.
Dive Insight:
Approximately 125 million people are affected by plaque psoriasis, which is characterized by painful itching and scratching and skin abnormalities.
As an immunosuppressant in the IL-17 class, Cosentyx represents a potential new treatment option for this market, which, if approved, will compete with drugs such as Amgen's Enbrel (etanercept) and J&J's Stelara (ustekinumab). Cosentyx performed better than Enbrel in a previous head-to-head trial.