Cost regulators for the NHS in England and Wales are backing UCB’s Cimzia and Novartis’ Cosentyx as treatment options for adults with active psoriatic arthritis.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is supporting use of Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) alone, or in combination with methotrexate, if the person has had a TNF-alpha inhibitor but their disease has stopped responding after the first 12 weeks, and the drug is provided under the conditions of a patient access scheme.
Cosentyx (secukinumab) is also recommended alone, or in combination with methotrexate, in the same circumstances, and also if TNF-alpha inhibitors are contraindicated but would otherwise be considered.
Use of both medicines should also follow existing NICE guidance psoriatic arthritis treatment with etanercept (Pfizer’s Enbrel), infliximab (MSD’s Remicade, Napp Pharmaceuticals’ Remsima, and Hospira’s Inflectra) and adalimumab (AbbVie’s Humira), the Institute noted.
Psoriatic arthritis is a lifelong condition that causes inflammation in and around the joints and has a serious effect on quality of life. It can affect people of any age, and affects all aspects life.
Cimzia is an anti-TNF biological therapy (a recombinant humanised antibody Fab’ fragment against TNF-alpha and is conjugated to polyethylene glycol) that blocks the action of the TNF protein to reduce inflammation.
Cosentyx is a monoclonal antibody which targets interleukin 17A (IL-17A), reducing immune system activity and disease symptoms.
