- Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves secukinumab for moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in adults
- Approval provides patients with a much-needed new biologic treatment option for HS
- HS is a chronic, painful, and often underdiagnosed skin disease that significantly affects quality of life
Novartis announced that the Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved secukinumab for the treatment of moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in adult patients. With this approval, secukinumab offers new hope for people who have long had limited treatment options.
“Hidradenitis suppurativa is a severely debilitating disease that not only causes physical pain but also emotional and social distress for patients. The approval of secukinumab in the Philippines opens the door to earlier and more effective intervention, giving patients a chance at a better quality of life,” said Dr. Bryan Ko Guevara, Chair, Immunodermatology Subspecialty Core Group of the Philippine Dermatological Society.
“HS is one of the most devastating and exhausting chronic inflammatory skin diseases, often associated with debilitating pain and impairment on work and social activities. This approval is an important milestone for HS patients in the Philippines, many of whom struggle for years before receiving a proper diagnosis and treatment. Novartis is committed to transforming the lives of people living with HS by bringing new innovative treatments like secukinumab,” said Hyeyoon Park, Country President, Novartis Healthcare Philippines.
About hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, systemic, and often painful skin disease that causes recurring boil-like lumps in areas such as the armpits, groin, and under the breasts. These lesions can drain and lead to scarring, which can be physically and emotionally distressing. Many people face long delays in receiving the right diagnosis—on average up to about 10 years—which can allow the disease to worsen and seriously affect daily life, work, and relationships.1,2
About Novartis
Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people’s lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world’s top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach more than 750 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 105,000 people of more than 140 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Find out more at www.novartis.com.
Reimagine medicine with us: Visit us at https://www.novartis.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram.
References
Miller IM, McAndrew RJ, Hamzavi I. Prevalence, risk factors, and comorbidities of hidradenitis suppurativa. Dermatol Clin. 2016;34(1):7-16.Alikhan A, Sayed C, Alavi A, et al. North American clinical management guidelines for hidradenitis suppurativa. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2019;81(1):76-90.e1; Zouboulis CC, Desai N, Emtestam L, et al. European S1 guideline for the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa/acne inversa. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2015;29(4):619-644.Contact Persons