Centocor and ustekinumab

Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, April, 2008 by Marissa Heller

Centocor, Inc recently announced that its Biologics License Application (BLA) for ustekinumab (CNTO 1275) has been accepted for filing by the FDA for the treatment of chronic moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients. Ustekinumab is a human monoclonal antibody that targets the cytokines interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interleukin-23 (IL-23).

The application was based on data from 2 phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, which enrolled almost 2000 patients, and evaluated the safety and efficacy of ustekinumab in the treatment of moderate to severe plaque-type psoriasis. Ustekinumab is already under review by the European Medicines Agency. Centocor has exclusive marketing rights to ustekinumab in the US, and Janssen-Cilag companies have exclusive marketing rights for it in all other countries.