Interleukin inhibitors Cosentyx·Tremfya busy extending reim

Reimb applied to Cosentyx 300mg for its existing indication from May

Tremfya’s palmoplantar pustulosis indication will be covered from next month

News of reimbursement extensions granted for interleukin inhibitors is continuing in Korea.

 

According to industry sources, the scope of reimbursement for Novartis Korea's IL-17A inhibitor 'Cosentyx UnoReady Pen' 300mg/2mL, and Janssen Korea's IL-23 inhibitor ‘Tremfya (guselkumab)' have been extended since last month, and the 1st of this month, respectively.

 

As with the other doses of Cosentyx, its 300mg dose can also be prescribed to patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, active and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), adults with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS), adults with severe ankylosing spondylitis, etc.

 

In Korea, Cosentyx is reimbursed for patients with chronic severe plaque psoriasis that lasts for more than 6 months, and ▲10% of the total skin area has been affected, ▲has a PASI 10 or higher, ▲has shown no response to methotrexate (MTX) or cyclosporine when administered for more than 3 months or cannot continue treatment due to side effects, or ▲has shown no response to PUVA or UVB therapy when treated for more than 3 months or cannot continue treatment due to side effects.

 

The reimbursement approval was made based on the MATURE trial.

 

The trial results showed that 95.1%/75.6%/43.9% of patients that received Cosentyx 30mg reached PASI 75/90/100 each, and demonstrated better efficacy over its placebo.

 

In the case of Tremfya, the drug will be granted reimbursement for palmoplantar pustulosis from this month.

 

Under the new reimbursement standards, the drug may be used with insurance benefits from June 1st in patients aged 18 and older with moderate-to-severe palmoplantar pustulosis, ▲whose PPPASI is 12 or higher and has shown no response to therapeutic doses of acitretin, methotrexate, or cyclosporin when administered for more than 3 months or cannot continue treatment due to side effects, or ▲who has shown no response to phototherapy when treated for more than 3 months or cannot continue treatment due to side effects.

 

Palmoplantar pustulosis is characterized by pustular blisters accompanied by erythema on the skin of the palms and soles that turn into brown scales, and then become dry, thick, and cracked.

 

When the condition persists, the patient’s nails may be deformed and even fall out.

 

The condition interferes with the patient's daily life because the condition causes severe itching and pain.

 

As it is difficult to distinguish palmoplantar pustulosis from other skin diseases such as fungal infections, accurate differential analysis between the two is necessary.

 

Cosentyx 300mg was approved on November 1st, 2022 to treat ▲plaque psoriasis patients and ▲psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients who have accompanying moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis or have not adequately responded to an anti-TNAα treatment before.

 

Meanwhile, Tremfya was approved as a treatment for adult patients with plague psoriasis in April 2018 and as a treatment for adult patients with palmoplantar pustulosis in May 2019, and the indications applied for insurance benefit in September 2018 and May 2021 respectively.