Erelzi: Additional Ph III EGALITY data

Additional data from the switching portion of the double-blind, international Phase III EGALITY trial showed no clinically meaningful differences in safety and efficacy in patients who alternated between treatment with Erelzi and Enbrel etanercept. The trial enrolled 531 patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis to initially receive either Erelzi or Enbrel at 50 mg twice weekly for 12 weeks. Patients who achieved PASI 50 at week 12 were then re-randomized to either continue the same treatment on a once-weekly dosing schedule or undergo a sequence of 3 treatment switches between Erelzi and Enbrel over 18 weeks. Patients then continued with the last treatment they received until week 52. Data were published in the British Journal of Dermatology. The Sandoz generics unit of Novartis previously reported that Erelzi met the primary endpoint of equivalence to Enbrel as measured by PASI 75 response rate at week 12 (see BioCentury, July 18)...