UK MHRA Expands Cosentyx License

Novartis announced on Nov. 7, 2022 that the UK Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted marketing authorization for Cosentyx (secukinumab) alone or in combination with methotrexate for use in pediatric arthritic conditions. Specifically, the two types of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) conditions are enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) and juvenile psoriatic arthritis (JPsA) in patients 6 years and older whose disease has responded inadequately to, or who cannot tolerate, conventional therapy.

JIA is a progressive and debilitating autoimmune condition that is the most common type of arthritis in young people, with around 1,500 new diagnoses in the UK every year, according to a company press release. If left untreated, ERA and JPsA can lead to high levels of pain, joint swelling, and disability, with many young people continuing to have active disease well into adulthood. If properly managed, it is possible for patients to live with inactive disease and prevent the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, including hand, limb, and spine deformities.

“We are pleased to announce the news of marketing authorization for secukinumab in young people living with ERA and JpsA and are delighted that they will now have the possibility of accessing an additional treatment option,” said Marie-Andrée Gamache, country president, Novartis Innovative Medicines UK and Ireland, in the press release. “At Novartis, we are continuing in our aspiration to eliminate the disease burden for every person living with painful and debilitating long-term immunological conditions by leading in the commercial sponsorship of clinical trials and turbo-charging discovery with investments in data and digital technologies.”