Novartis launches new study comparing Cosentyx to biosimilar

Novartis has announced the launch of a new clinical study comparing the performance of Cosentyx to a proposed biosimilar version of adalimumab.

The study, SURPASS, represents the first head-to-head clinical trial investigating the superiority of Cosentyx in slowing spinal bone damage versus the proposed biosimilar, with the first patient having been recruited in November 2017.

This trial is part of the same rheumatology programme as EXCEED, a head-to-head trial comparing Cosentyx to AbbVie's Humira in psoriatic arthritis, which is already recruiting.

Cosentyx is already backed by strong clinical efficacy and safety data and has been used to treat more than 125,000 patients worldwide, but these new studies will offer additional information that will make it easier for doctors to select the right biologic pathway for the needs of their patients.

Vas Narasimhan, global head of drug development and chief medical officer at Novartis, said: "These patients deserve the best treatment possible and we are hopeful that the EXCEED and SURPASS trials will provide valuable answers for doctors and patients in their decision-making."

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