Wedoany.com Report-Nov. 28, Novartis Korea has announced that Cosentyx (secukinumab), its interleukin-17A inhibitor, will be reimbursed in South Korea starting 1 December for adult patients with severe hidradenitis suppurativa who have not responded adequately to conventional systemic treatment.

Novartis Korea has secured reimbursement for Cosentyx in severe hidradenitis suppurativa from Dec. 1.

Coverage applies to patients aged 18 and older diagnosed at least one year prior, presenting lesions in two or more anatomical areas with a minimum of three abscesses or inflammatory nodules combined. Patients must have Hurley stage 2 or higher disease, an HS-PGA score of 4 or above, or an IHS4 score of 11 or higher, and have completed at least three months of antibiotic therapy without sufficient improvement or discontinued due to side effects.

Continued reimbursement requires at least 50 percent reduction in the combined count of abscesses and inflammatory nodules, with no increase in abscesses or draining fistulas, within the first 16 weeks. Benefits are reassessed every 24 weeks, allowing maintenance dosing every four weeks for up to 104 weeks when sustained response is confirmed.

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterised by painful nodules, abscesses, and tunnelling fistulas, primarily in skin-fold areas such as the armpits, groin, and buttocks. It often causes permanent scarring and requires long-term specialist management.

Prior to this decision, the only reimbursed biologic in Korea for this indication was the TNF-alpha inhibitor adalimumab, leaving limited options for patients intolerant or unresponsive to antibiotics.

The reimbursement is supported by data from the Phase III SUNSHINE and SUNRISE trials (SUNNY programme), involving 1,084 patients with moderate-to-severe disease. In SUNRISE, monthly Cosentyx achieved a 46 percent HiSCR response rate at week 16 versus 31 percent for placebo, with continued improvement to week 52. Pain reduction (NRS30) and flare prevention also favoured Cosentyx. Long-term extension data to week 204 showed 83.2 percent of week-52 responders maintained HiSCR response.

Updated European guidelines issued last December recommend Cosentyx as a first-line biologic for moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa.

Park Joo-young, head of Novartis Korea's Immunology Therapeutic Area, said: "The latest reimbursement expansion will help more Korean patients receive timely therapy at lower cost and support better long-term treatment planning."