Novartis receives EU approval for SJIA therapy Ilaris

Novartis has announced that its active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) therapy Ilaris has been approved by the European Commission.

The drug is set to be made available in Europe for use among patients aged two years and older who have responded inadequately to previous therapy with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and systemic corticosteroids.

In two phase III trials of the drug, it was shown that Ilaris was able to deliver significant improvements for sufferers of the rare and disabling form of childhood arthritis.

It becomes the only treatment approved specifically for SJIA that is given as a monthly subcutaneous injection, providing a convenient new therapy option for an underserved patient population.

Dr Timothy Wright, global head of development at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, said: "The EU approval of Ilaris provides patients suffering from SJIA with a convenient new treatment option offering a favourable benefit-risk profile."

Ilaris was recommended for approval by the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use in July 2013, as was the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease therapy Ultibro Breezhaler.