Novartis’ Cosentyx demonstrates long-lasting skin clearance in plaque psoriasis

The company unveiled new data demonstrating Cosentyx delivers high and long-lasting skin clearance in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis out to four years of treatment.

The data shows that with Cosentyx almost 100% of Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) 90 and PASI 100 response rates are maintained from year one to four.

Novartis said clear or almost clear skin (PASI 90) was achieved by 68.5% of patients at year one.  Apartb from this 43.8% of psoriasis patients achieved completely clear skin (PASI 100) at first tear and that rate was maintained to year four.

The data also demonstrated that Cosentyx delivers superior, long-lasting skin clearance versus Stelara (ustekinumab) for up to 1 year in moderate-to-severe psoriasis patients.

Novartis global head of drug development and chief medical officer Vasant Narasimhan said: "These impressive results show that Cosentyx keeps working year-on-year, maintaining high levels of skin clearance with a favorable safety profile.

"Psoriasis patients need therapies they can use over long periods of time without loss of efficacy and we are pleased that Cosentyx is proving a sustainable choice for patients."

Cosentyx is a fully human monoclonal antibody that selectively neutralizes IL-17A, which is thought to play a key role in driving the body's immune response in psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis.