Adults with certain stubborn cases of plaque psoriasis might now be able to find relief with Siliq (brodalumab), a recently FDA-approved injectable treatment developed by Valeant Pharmaceuticals, according to AstraZeneca, which granted Valeant licensing rights to the drug.
Plaque psoriasis is a chronic disease manifesting in red, patchy scaled areas on the skin. AstraZeneca said Siliq is formulated for patients with moderate to severe cases who have not responded to other systemic therapies.
“We are pleased that our commitment to Siliq, from its development in our biologics pipeline through to our partnership with Valeant, has led to a new treatment option for psoriasis patients, many of whom have previously not been able to achieve full clearance of their skin,” Sean Bohen, who oversees global medicine development for AstraZeneca, said.
Valeant has agreed to pay AstraZeneca $130 million at first regulatory approval, after which the two firms will share in U.S. sales profits. AstraZeneca’s CFO Marc Dunoyer said the agreement will allow the company to concentrate on therapeutic applications.
AstraZeneca describes Siliq as "a novel human monoclonal antibody that binds to the interleukin-17 (IL-17) receptor and inhibits inflammatory signaling by blocking the binding of several types of IL-17 to the receptor.”
