Cosentyx Receives FDA Approval for Psoriatic Arthritis

A treatment that’s already made headlines for psoriasis is now approved for psoriatic arthritis too.

Cosentyx (secukinumab), a biologic drug made by Novartis, has won approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. The drug has been approved as a treatment for chronic plaque psoriasis since January 2015.

In randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials, Cosentyx delivered relief from both skin and joint symptoms. According to the data, about half of the patients in Phase III trials saw at least a 20 percent improvement in their psoriatic arthritis, compared to about 15 percent of patients on placebo.

About two-thirds of patients in the same trials experienced at least a 75 percent improvement in their skin psoriasis.

In other clinical trials for the drug, more than half of patients taking Cosentyx experienced clear or almost clear skin, while the majority experienced significant improvement.

The most common side effects experienced by patients on Cosentyx included the common cold and headache, according to trial data.

Cosentyx targets interleukin-17A, which is a protein, or cytokine, that triggers inflammation.

For more information, visit Cosentyx.