NICE recommends Novartis' psoriasis drug

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has today issued a Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) recommending Cosentyx (secukinumab) from Swiss drug major Novartis (NOVN: VX) for use on the National Health Service for the treatment of severe plaque psoriasis.

It is recommended for adult patients who have failed to respond to, are contraindicated to or cannot tolerate standard systemic therapies. Cosentyx is the first and only licensed therapy that blocks the IL-17A protein found in increased concentrations in psoriasis-affected skin. NICE said the drug will be recommended if it is provided with the agreed patient access scheme discount.

It is the only biologic treatment for psoriasis appraised by NICE to be issued with a FAD recommendation without the requirement of an ACD step. In the recommendation, NICE recognises secukinumab as being an innovative step change in the management of this debilitating skin condition because it is able to clear the skin in some patients. Approximately two thirds of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis are failing to achieve, or maintain effective control of their symptoms with current treatments.