Posted by Michael Wonder on 04 Aug 2016
NICE draft guidance recommends new drug for people with ankylosing spondylitis
4 August 2016 - New draft guidance from NICE means thousands of people with back condition ankylosing spondylitis will soon have access to an innovative new drug.
The draft guidance recommends innovative new drug secukinumab (Cosentyx, Novartis) for treating ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis that mainly affects the joints of the lower spine, leading to back pain, stiffness, swelling and tiredness.
Secukinumab, which was only licensed for use in the UK in May, is the first in a new class of drug to treat the condition. The drug helps patients by reducing inflammation and pain and improving mobility. It comes in pre-filled pen syringes and is 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The draft guidance recommends the drug for treating active ankylosing spondylitis in adults when non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or TNF-alpha inhibitors haven’t worked or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.
