Yesterday, Novartis released new data from its head-to-head CLARITY study that shows that its secukinumab (Cosentyx) was significantly more effective than ustekinumab (Stelara) in the treatment of psoriasis in delivering clear or almost clear skin at 12 and 16 weeks.
Yesterday, Novartis released new data from its head-to-head CLARITY study that shows that its secukinumab (Cosentyx) was significantly more effective than ustekinumab (Stelara) in the treatment of psoriasis in delivering clear or almost clear skin at 12 and 16 weeks.
Secukinumab is a targeted biologic therapy that inhibits IL-17A, a cytokine involved in inflammation of entheses.
The results of the CLARITY study show that 66.5% and 72.3% of patients treated with secukinumab (P <.0001) achieved both co-primary endpoints of a response of 90 on the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI90) and a score of score of 0/1 on the Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) (modified 2011), a 5-point tool used to evaluate plaque psoriasis severity, respectively. These results are compared with 47.9% and 55.4%, respectively, of patients treated with ustekinumab achieving PASI90 and IGA 0/1 (P <.0001).
In addition, all key secondary endpoints in the CLARITY study were met, and the safety profile of secukinumab was in line with its known safety profile. The newly released data support findings from the CLEAR study, which found secukinumab to be superior to ustekinumab in achieving sustained skin clearance at 52 weeks.
“These data add to the robust body of evidence supporting the use of Cosentyx to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis,” said Mark Lebwohl, MD, chairman of the Waldman department of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. “With these findings clinicians can have even greater confidence including Cosentyx in their treatment plans.”
To date, more than 125,000 patients worldwide have been prescribed secukinumab in the post-marketing setting across all indications. According to Novartis’ third quarter results in 2017, Cosentyx reached $556 million in net sales. Its fourth quarter 2017 results will be announced shortly.
Novartis also recently announced that it is initiating the SURPASS trial; SUPRASS is set to be a head-to-head clinical trial of secukinumab versus a proposed biosimilar adalimumab (referencing Humira and being developed by Sandoz, a Novartis division) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Positive results in this trial could potentially make secukinumab a top competitor for an increased share of the market for inflammatory disease treatment.
Escaping the Void: All Things Biosimilars With Craig & G
May 4th 2025To close out the Festival of Biologics, Craig Burton and Giuseppe Randazzo from the Association for Accessible Medicines and the Biosimilars Council tackle the current biosimilar landscape and how the industry can emerge from the "biosimilar void."
Etanercept Biosimilar Switch Shows Stable Outcomes and Disease Control in RA
May 13th 2025Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who switched from Enbrel (reference etanercept) to a biosimilar maintained remission, even after their dose was reduced, with no signs of worsening based on clinical scores, ultrasound scans, or lab tests, according to a new study.
How AI Can Help Address Cost-Related Nonadherence to Biologic, Biosimilar Treatment
March 9th 2025Despite saving billions, biosimilars still account for only a small share of the biologics market—what's standing in the way of broader adoption and how can artificial intelligence (AI) help change that?
Switching From Avastin to Bevacizumab-bvzr in CRC, NSCLC Can Reduce Medicare Costs
May 10th 2025Monthly savings from fully converting Medicare patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) and non-squamous metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from reference bevacizumab to bevacizumab-bvzr could fund 13,887 and 8,959 additional patient-months of treatment, respectively, according to a cost-effectiveness study.