Novartis reports positive data from comparative study of Cosentyx

Novartis has announced new clinical trial data showing the benefits its psoriasis drug Cosentyx can provide compared to an established alternative.

Results from the phase IIIb Clear study showed that the drug demonstrated superiority over its rival and met its primary endpoint of achieving clear or almost clear skin for psoriasis patients at week 16.

This is the second head-to-head study for Cosentyx, following an earlier phase III trial called Fixture which showed the drug's superior performance compared to another drug that is currently considered to be the standard of care.

The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has already recommended Cosentyx as a first-line systemic therapy for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients in Europe.

Vasant Narasimhan, global head of development at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, said: "Patients need more effective treatment options for psoriasis and these impressive results add to the robust body of evidence that patients dramatically benefit and can achieve clear skin with Cosentyx."

The drug has also demonstrated its benefits as a therapy for psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis in separate studies.