New US approval for Cimzia gives UCB a niche potential in psoriasis market

The recent US Food and Drug Administration  approval for Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) marks Belgian drugmaker UCB’s (Euronext Brussels: UCB) entrance into the immuno-dermatology market, a competitive field in which Cimzia could find a niche space.

However, there are a number of safe and efficacious biologics in the psoriasis market, and Cimzia could struggle if it is not well received by prescribing physicians and dermatologists, says data and analytics company GlobalData.

On May 28, 2018, the FDA approved the extension of the label of UCB’s tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor Cimzia for use in adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Although Cimzia marks the fourth TNF inhibitor to be approved for the treatment of psoriasis, Cimzia is the first Fc-free biologic to be approved by the FDA. GlobalData anticipates Cimzia will face strong competition from the widely used branded anti-TNFs, including AbbVie’s (NYSE: ABBV) Humira (adalimumab), Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) and Pfizer’s (NYSE: PFE) Enbrel (etanercept), and Johnson and Johnson’s (NYSE: JNJ) Remicade (infliximab), not to mention their respective biosimilars.