Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis Pharma AG (SIX:NOVN) (NYSE:NVS) announced on Monday that it plans to launch a direct-to-patient (DTP) platform in the United States which will come into effect on 1 November 2025, offering cash-paying patients prescribed Cosentyx (secukinumab) the option to purchase it at a 55% discount on the list price.

Cosentyx is a biologic that is FDA-approved for the treatment of multiple immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa and psoriatic arthritis. The company says that it has been studied clinically for more than 17 years and has been used to treat more than 1.8 million patients globally since its launch in 2015.

"Breakthrough innovation is what drives us at Novartis, in scientific research, medicine development, and in the ways in which we deliver our innovation to patients. In the US, we have long recognised that we need new ways to reach patients more directly by removing barriers in the system," said Victor Bulto, Novartis US president. 'The launch of this new platform is a first step as we continue to work toward solutions to provide our net prices more directly to patients and make the healthcare system work better for Americans.'

Novartis says that through the DTP platform, it will offer Cosentyx to American patients at a price that reflects the average savings that insurers and pharmacy benefit managers receive. It adds that the Cosentyx DTP platform serves as proof-of-concept for a direct-selling model for specialty medicines and ideally would work alongside insurance to help improve patient affordability.

The company intends to offer a DTP option for additional medicines in its portfolio as appropriate and is exploring a direct-to-business model, selling Cosentyx, and potentially additional medicines, to large employers as another way to increase access and affordability.