Basel, Switzerland-based pharma major Novartis (VTX: NOVN) has unveiled Phase III data that demonstrates Cosentyx (secukinumab)'s ability to deliver high and long-lasting skin clearance in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis at five years, the company said on Wednesday.

The data was presented for the first time during the 26th European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress, held in in Geneva, Switzerland.

According to the data, by targeting interleukin-17A (IL-17A), Cosentyx is able to hone in on the key cytokine involved in the development of psoriasis.

IL-17A plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Inhibiting IL-17A is important because up to 30% of patients with psoriasis may have PsA.

"The five-year data reinforce Cosentyx as an important treatment option for those people living with psoriasis who aspire for skin clearance that can last," said Vas Narasimhan, global head of drug development and chief medical officer at Novartis.

"Cosentyx is the first and only IL-17A inhibitor approved for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis and has been prescribed to more than 100,000 patients since launch."