Novartis' Cosentyx wins positive opinion from EMA's CHMP

Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX) this morning revealed that the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of its Cosentyx (secukinumab, formerly known as AIN457) as a first-line systemic treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy.

The news comes just a month after secukinumab received a  unanimous vote for approval from a US Food and Drug Administration advisory panel. The FDA is expected to give its final decision early next year.

This CHMP recommendation would mean doctors could use secukinumab first-line to treat their psoriasis patients, as an alternative to other first-line systemic treatments, which have significant side effects, said Novartis. Currently, all biologic treatments for psoriasis, including anti- tumor necrosis factor therapies (anti-TNFs) and ustekinumab are recommended for second-line systemic therapy in Europe, the company noted.