The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Novartis’ interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor Cosentyx (secukinumab) for the treatment of children and young people with moderate-to-severe psoriasis.
Specifically, NICE has cleared Cosentyx for people aged six to 17 years old with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who have not responded to other forms of systemic treatment, or where these options were contraindicated or not tolerated.
Cosentyx is a monoclonal antibody designed to block IL-17A, a molecule which is involved in the psoriasis inflammatory response. According to Novartis, it is the first IL-17A inhibitor to be recommended by NICE for the treatment of children and young people with moderate-to-severe psoriasis.
“Psoriasis is a chronic condition, which in the most severe cases causes persistent and disabling symptoms. I’ve heard from many young people how psoriasis has negatively affected them by knocking their confidence and making it difficult for them to enjoy even straight-forward things like going to school or spending time out with friends,” said Anthony Bewley, dermatologist at Barts Health, London
“This NICE recommendation means that young people with this form of psoriasis, where appropriate, will now have access to secukinumab, which can be an effective treatment option and can really help them manage their psoriasis symptoms,” he added.
