Continued Cosentyx development pays off for Novartis

Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX) has picked up US Food and Drug Administration approval for a label update for Cosentyx (secukinumab).

The broader label, which was approved by the European regulator in October 2019, includes the option for a higher dose of 300mg for adults with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Novartis has invested heavily in the novel biologic, the first and only fully human biologic to selectively target interleukin (IL)-17A, an important mediator in certain autoimmune conditions, such as plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.