Novartis Releases More Data Supporting Secukinumab

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.