FDA approves intravenous Secukinumab for Rheumatic diseases

Cosentyx is the only treatment approved in an IV formulation that specifically targets and blocks interleukin-17A (IL-17A), and the only non-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) IV option available in all these indications. The IV formulation of Cosentyx offers patients a monthly 30-minute, weight-based dosing option, requiring no pre-medication and no lab monitoring.1 The new IV administration option will be available in Q4 of 2023.

"A significant portion of the millions of PsA, AS and nr-axSpA patients in the US require treatment through IV infusions for a variety of reasons, including not being comfortable with self-injections or simply preferring to have treatments administered in their healthcare provider's office," said Philip J. Mease, M.D., Clinical Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Director of Rheumatology Research at the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, WA. "The approval of Cosentyx as an IV formulation is an important milestone for patients because it expands the treatment options available to them with a different mechanism of action than existing biologic IV therapies, along with the comfort and familiarity of an established treatment."

"At Novartis, we are committed to ensuring healthcare providers and patients have treatment options available to meet their unique needs. With this approval of Cosentyx as an IV formulation, along with the subcutaneous formulation, we can broaden the use of Cosentyx to help more patients manage their condition with a medicine backed by more than a decade of clinical research and eight years of real-world experience," said Christy Siegel, Vice President and Head of Immunology, Novartis US.

About Cosentyx® (secukinumab)

Cosentyx is a fully human biologic that specifically targets and blocks interleukin-17A (IL-17A), an important cytokine involved in the inflammation of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA).7,8 Cosentyx is a proven medicine and has been studied clinically for more than 14 years. The medicine is backed by robust evidence, including 8 years of real-world data in adults and 5 years of long-term safety and efficacy in adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, PsA and AS.1,9-15 These data strengthen the position of Cosentyx as a treatment across AS, nr-axSpA, PsA, moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (adult and pediatric) and two subtypes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), enthesitis-related arthritis and juvenile psoriatic arthritis.1 More than 1 million patients have been treated with Cosentyx worldwide since its launch in 2015.16 Cosentyx is approved in more than 100 countries, most recently gaining approval for JIA and hidradenitis suppurativa in Europe.17-20

INDICATIONSCOSENTYX® (secukinumab) is a prescription medicine used to treat:

• people 6 years of age and older with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PsO) that involves large areas or many areas of the body, and who may benefit from taking injections or pills (systemic therapy) or phototherapy (treatment using ultraviolet or UV light alone or with systemic therapy)
• people 2 years of age and older with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA)
• adults with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS)
• adults with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) and objective signs of inflammation
• people 4 years of age and older with active enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA)