NHS patients to receive AbbVie’s Skyrizi for plaque psoriasis following NICE recommendation

pharmafile | August 21, 2019 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing |  AbbVie, NICE, Skyrizi, pharma 

AbbVie’s Skyrizi (risankizumab) has been awarded a positive recommendation from UK drug watchdog NICE, meaning that the IL-23 inhibitor will now be made available to eligible patients across England and Wales for the treatment of plaque psoriasis in those who have failed conventional systemic therapies, the company has announced.

The drug, which is jointly developed along with Boehringer Ingelheim, navigated the organisation’s Fast Track pathway; the institute’s decision will now be implemented within 30 days as opposed to the traditional 90.

The ruling was based on data which showed Skyrizi demonstrated high rates of skin clearance after 16 weeks of use, which was maintained through 52 weeks of treatment.

Around 820,000 people are affected by the chronic condition plaque psoriasis in the UK.

The decision means that eligible patients can access the therapy almost two months earlier than via the conventional pathway.

Matt Fellows