Novartis McAb cosentix will be available in early 2015 and will be the first IL-17 blocker

Source: Novartis, Nov 25, 2014, recently announced that the McAb cosentix (secukinumab) has received positive comments from the human pharmaceutical products Committee (CHMP) of the European Drug Administration (EMA) CHMP has recommended secukinumab as a first-line systemic therapy for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis In the United States, the FDA's Advisory Committee on dermatology and Ophthalmology (dodac) unanimously recommended secukinumab approval in October The European Commission (EC) is expected to make a final review decision within two months In Europe, all biological agents (including anti-tnfs and ustekinumab) for the treatment of psoriasis are recommended as second-line systemic therapy This positive opinion of CHMP means that doctors can use secukinumab to replace other first-line systemic therapies with significant side effects for the first-line treatment of psoriasis patients If approved, secukinumab will be the first IL-17 blocker drug on the market At present, the market of psoriasis is dominated by TNF blockers (anti-tumor necrosis factor mAb) However, up to 40% of the patients are lack of or no response to TNF blockers The marketing of IL-17 blocker will greatly improve the clinical standard nursing of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and other inflammatory diseases Some analysts believe that although Novartis secukinumab is likely to be the first IL-17 blocker on the market, the market will soon usher in other competitive products Next to secukinumab is brodalumab, a similar drug developed by Amgen and AstraZeneca, which has made remarkable achievements in the clinical treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis stage III In addition, ixekizumab, the IL-17 blocker of Lilly, has entered phase III clinical development Mk-3222 of mosadong and guselkumab, the IL-23 blocker of JNJ, will also enter phase III clinical development in this quarter Currently, Novartis is investigating secukinumab for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (as) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) The industry forecasts that if all four indications are approved, secukinumab's sales will exceed $1 billion by 2020 In October this year, secukinumab achieved success in two key phase III studies (measure-1, measure-2) of ankylosing spondylitis (as) In the study, secukinumab significantly improved the symptoms and signs of the disease, as well as the physical function and quality of life of the patients This study also marks secukinumab as the first successful IL-17A blocker in ankylosing spondylitis (as) phase III In these two studies, the safety of secukinumab was consistent with that of the drug in the large-scale phase III project of psoriasis Novartis has plans to submit a regulatory application for secukinumab in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis (PSA) and ankylosing spondylitis (as) in 2015.