The new data also showed that two years of Cosentyx treatment resulted in rapid and sustained pain relief in patients with active PsA.
Novartis says that the new data for the drug is consistent with earlier findings for Cosentyx in the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) at 3 years.
In a phase 3, 2-year extension study dubbed MEASURE 1, the pharma said that a majority of AS patients, 80% of them achieved an ASAS 20 response (Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society response criteria) on a consistent basis at three years.
Novartis said that this was in line with earlier findings coming from the FUTURE 1 study in active PsA. In the FUTURE 1 trial, Cosentyx had shown sustained improvements in the signs and symptoms of disease in nearly 80% of patients at 3 years as measured by ACR 20 response (American College of Rheumatology response criteria).
According to Novartis, Cosentyx is the first and only IL-17A inhibitor to demonstrate sustained improvements in AS and PsA signs and symptoms.
Novartis drug development global head and chief medical officer Vas Narasimhan said: "These data reconfirm that Cosentyx provides patients with long-lasting relief from the symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, as well as now demonstrating rapid pain relief from psoriatic arthritis.
"We are pleased that Cosentyx continues to provide sustained benefits for patients with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis."
The company has started enrolling patients for a new clinical trial named EXCEED which is aimed at proving Cosentyx’s superior performance compared to Humira in PsA treatment.