Recommendation of secukinumab for patients with ankylosing spondylitis

In draft guidance NICE,England and Wales,recommends innovative new drug secukinumab (Cosentyx, Novartis) for treating ankylosing spondylitis. Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that mainly affects the back. Secukinumab was licensed for use in UK in May, is first in a new class of drug to treat the condition.

The drug helps patients by reducing inflammation and pain and improving mobility and comes in pre-filled pen syringes injected by the patient.

The draft guidance recommends the drug for treating active ankylosing spondylitis in adults when non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or TNF-alpha inhibitors haven’t worked or aren’t suitable. Ankylosing spondylitis causes inflammation mostly in joints of the lower spine, leading to back pain, stiffness, swelling and tiredness. It is a painful, debilitating and lifelong condition that can have major negative impacts on the quality of life  …..more