New drug – secukinumab – may help people with psoriatic arthritis

People with psoriatic arthritis had improvements in skin and joint symptoms after treatment with secukinumab (Cosentyx) according to the results of a phase 3 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Scientists split 606 people with psoriatic arthritis into groups:
• Intravenous 10mg/kg Cosentyx (secukinumab) every two weeks (three sessions altogether);

• Pretend drug every two weeks (three sessions altogether) followed by either 75mg or 150mg secukinumab every four weeks or more of the pretend drug.

Depending on response, people who received the pretend drug were then given either 75mg or 150mg secukinumab at 16 or 24 weeks. Over 60% of the participants continued with methotrexate therapy during the study.

Joint and skin symptoms improved more in the groups that were treated with secukinumab compared to the pretend drug.

But there were side effects that included increased incidence of the common cold, headache and upper respiratory tract infection. One person had a stroke before week 16, another three people had a stroke after week 16 and one person had a myocardial infarction.

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