Novartis reports positive data from psoriatic arthritis drug trial

Novartis has announced positive data from two new studies of AIN457, a groundbreaking new IL-17A inhibitor therapy for psoriatic arthritis.

The pivotal phase III studies FUTURE 1 and FUTURE 2 have shown that AIN457, also known as secukinumab, was able to meet its primary and key secondary goals in the trials, demonstrating superiority to placebo in patients with adult-onset psoriatic arthritis.

Endpoints included improving signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis – such as improving peripheral joint disease and preventing joint damage versus placebo – while delivering clear or almost clear skin.

Data from these two studies was collated from more than 1,000 patients and will now be used to support regulatory submissions that are planned for 2015.

Vasant Narasimhan, global head of development at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, said: "Effective new therapies are urgently needed for newly diagnosed psoriatic arthritis patients and for nearly half of psoriatic arthritis patients who are dissatisfied with or not responding to their current treatments."

This comes after the drug was shown to offer benefits in the treatment of psoriasis in study data published earlier this year.