Novartis said its studies show that Cosentyx (secukinumab), formulated to treat psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS), achieves clearer skin in subjects after 12 weeks compared to Stelara (ustekinumab).
Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis, manifesting in skin abnormalities such as raised, red scaly patches and often scaling on nails. Although not contagious, psoriasis impacts over 125 million individuals worldwide.
Novartis said in a release that its study findings support “the superiority of Cosentyx to Stelara in achieving sustained skin clearance.” Stelara is manufactured by Janssen Biotech Inc.
"These data add to the robust body of evidence supporting the use of Cosentyx to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis," Dr. Mark Lebwohl, chairman of the dermatology department at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, said in the release. "With these findings, clinicians can have even greater confidence including Cosentyx in their treatment plans."
Novartis presented its conclusions at the opening session of the Winter Clinical Dermatology Conference at the Grand Hyatt Kauai in Hawaii.
