Bimzelx approved in Japan for treatment of multiple types of psoriasis
pharmafile | January 25, 2022 | News story | Manufacturing and Production |
UCB announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has granted marketing authorisation for BIMZELX (bimekizumab) for the treatment of plaque psoriasis, generalised pustular psoriasis, and psoriatic erythroderma in patients who are not sufficiently responding to existing treatments.
Bimekizumab is the first approved psoriasis treatment in Japan which is designed to selectively and directly inhibit two key cytokines driving inflammatory processes – interleukin 17F (IL-17F) and interleukin 17A (IL-17A). This approval marks the third authorisation for bimekizumab worldwide, following marketing authorisation in EU and EEA countries, as well as Great Britain.
Psoriasis is a common, chronic inflammatory disease which causes scaly and itchy areas of the skin. There are several types of psoriasis, though plaque psoriasis is the most common, comprising between 58 and 97 percent of all cases. Plaque psoriasis is characterised by dry, red plaques, usually covered with silvery or white scales. Generalised pustular psoriasis is less common, and psoriatic erythroderma is the most serious type, affecting between 0.4 and 7 percent of all cases.
“The approval of BIMZELX in Japan is an important milestone that reinforces UCB’s commitment to the dermatology community and to advancing standards of care in psoriasis,” said Emmanuel Caeymaex, Executive Vice President, Immunology Solutions and Head of US, UCB. “At UCB, our ambition is to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases. We are incredibly proud to bring a new psoriasis treatment option to healthcare professionals and patients in Japan to help support more patients in reaching their treatment goals.”
Lina Adams
