Novartis' secukinumab achieves primary endpoints in Phase III studies for ankylosing spondylitis

Swiss drug major Novartis (NOVN: VX) says its investigational drug AIN457 (secukinumab) has achieved the primary endpoints in two Phase III studies in ankylosing spondylitis.

This makes secukinumab the first selective interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitor to meet its primary endpoint in two pivotal Phase III studies showing improvement in active ankylosing spondylitis patients’ symptoms versus placebo, the company states. IL-17A is a protein central to the development of inflammatory diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis, a progressively debilitating condition associated with inflammation of the spine, causing irreversible consequences reducing mobility.

Vasant Narasinham, global head of development, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, said: "We are thrilled to see positive results with secukinumab in AS, a gravely debilitating condition with a significant remaining unmet need as up to 40% of patients do not respond to anti-TNF therapies. With these results in AS and the recently announced positive results in psoriatic arthritis, we now have data from four Phase III trials of secukinumab in spondyloarthropathies which we look forward to presenting at a congress later this year."