Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis (NYSE: NVS) has announced receiving marketing approval for two new specifications of Cosentyx (secukinumab) in China. The new 300mg and 75mg prefilled syringe forms are approved for pediatric psoriasis in patients aged six years and above with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis eligible for systemic treatment or phototherapy, regardless of weight. This makes Cosentyx the only interleukin inhibitor with three approved specifications (300mg, 150mg, and 75mg) in China.
Global Approvals and Indications
Cosentyx is the world’s first and only full human interleukin inhibitor. It has been approved to treat psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and radiologically negative axial spondyloarthritis in children and adults in the US and European Union (EU). In China, the drug was included in the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) in 2020. It is approved for “adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and children aged 6 years and above whose weight is ≥ 50 kg and who meet the indications of systemic treatment or phototherapy,” as well as “adult patients with ankylosing spondylitis who have poor efficacy of conventional treatment.”
Expanded Access and Future Outlook
The new approvals expand the accessibility of Cosentyx to a broader patient population in China, including younger patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. This marks a significant step in enhancing treatment options for pediatric patients and further solidifies Cosentyx’s position in the global market for interleukin inhibitors.-Fineline Info & Tech
