Sun Pharma bags receipt of European Commission approval

The drug ILUMETRI (tildrakizumab) is indicated for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis

Sun Pharmaceutical announced that Almirall has received the European Commission (EC) approval for ILUMETRI (tildrakizumab) for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy. As indicated by Almirall, roll out of ILUMETRI in Europe will start in the next few weeks. In July 2016, Sun Pharma out-licensed tildrakizumab to Almirall, for the development and commercialisation of the product for psoriasis in Europe.

Tildrakizumab is a humanised high-affinity anti-IL-23p19 monoclonal antibody. Due to its specific mechanism of action, it selectively blocks interleukin-23 (IL-23), an upstream inflammatory mediator cytokine, and acts by modifying the pathogenesis of the disease with limited impact on the rest of the immune system.

Its approval in Europe is based on the positive results from reSURFACE 1 and 2 phase-3 clinical trials3, presented for the first time in October 2016 at the 25th European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology (EADV) Congress in Vienna (Austria). Both pivotal phase-3 clinical trials, which included over 1,800 patients from more than 200 clinical sites worldwide, showed ILUMETRI has a high level of safety and efficacy.

According to both studies data, an average of 63 per cent of patients achieved 75 per cent of skin clearance (Psoriasis Area Sensitivity Index or PASI 75) by week 12 and an average of 78 per cent at week 28. Moreover, an average of 59 per cent of patients achieved PASI 90 and an average of 30 per cent reached PASI 100 at week 28. Over a year, more than 92 per cent of patients who responded to ILUMETRI within 28 weeks maintained a PASI 75 response.

Moreover, the results of a pooled analysis through three years from resurface 1 and 2 phase-3 trials show the consistent maintenance of efficacy and safety over three years of ILUMETRI in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis who were responders at week 28. According to the data, PASI 75 responses were maintained with continued treatment with ILUMETRI in 90% of patients up to week 1482. ILUMETRI was well-tolerated with very low drug-related serious adverse events and discontinuation rates.