Novartis reports further progress with its psoriasis candidate secukinumab

Swiss drug major Novartis (NOVN: VX) recently announced results from the head-to-head Phase III FIXTURE study showing secukinumab (AIN457), an interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor, was significantly superior to US biotech leader Amgen’s (Nasdaq: AMGN) Enbrel (etanercept) in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Enbrel is a current standard-of-care anti-TNF medication approved to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. These new results were presented today at the 22nd Congress of the European Association of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) in Istanbul, Turkey.

"These exciting data suggest that with secukinumab, we have the potential to help more patients achieve clear skin, which is the ultimate treatment goal," said David Epstein, head of the Pharmaceuticals Division of Novartis Pharma, adding: "The data also show that specifically targeting IL-17A may offer a new and effective treatment approach for people living with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis."