UK NICE gives final appraisal recommending use of Cosentyx (secukinumab) in psoriatic arthritis- Novartis

The UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published its final appraisal which backs the use of Cosentyx (secukinumab), from Novartis, in adults with active and progressive psoriatic arthritis. NICE also recommends use of Cosentyx when a patient has peripheral arthritis with three or more tender joints and three or more swollen joints, and has not responded to adequate trials of at least two standard disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, administered either individually or in combination. It can also be funded for use in those who have had a TNF-alpha inhibitor but have not responded to treatment within the first 12 weeks or have stopped responding after 12 weeks, or when TNF-alpha inhibitors are contraindicated but would otherwise be considered.