AIN 457 success in FUTURE studies for Psoriatic Arthritis- Novartis

Novartis has announced first ever results from the pivotal Phase III FUTURE 1 and FUTURE 2 studies showing AIN 457 (secukinumab) demonstrated rapid and significant clinical improvements versus placebo in improving the signs and symptoms of Psoriatic Aarthritis (PsA). PsA is part of a family of long-term diseases impacting joints, known as spondyloarthritis (SpA), which also includes ankylosing spondylitis. There is a high unmet treatment need for patients with PsA. Many patients do not respond to, or tolerate, anti-TNF (tumour-necrosis-factor) medicines, the current standard of care and approximately 45% of people are dissatisfied with current treatments. Secukinumab stops the action of interleukin-17A (IL-17A), which is central to the development of inflammatory diseases. These results are being presented today at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Congress in Boston, USA.

Clinically and statistically significant improvements in signs and symptoms of PsA were achieved versus placebo, as measured by a 20% reduction in the American College of Rheumatology response criteria (ACR 20), a standard tool used to assess improvement at Week 24. Between 50% to 54% of secukinumab patients achieved at least ACR 20 in both FUTURE 1 (150 mg; p<0.0001) and future 2 150 and 300 mg p><0.0001 this is in comparison to 17.3 and 15.3 of placebo patients who achieved acr 20 in future 1 and future 2 respectively.>