The Indian arm of the US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly has recently announced that following the approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), it is launching the monoclonal antibody drug Ixekizumab, marketed as Copellor for the treatment of adults in India suffering from moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

The company informed that the drug, which is a humanised IgG4 monoclonal antibody is designed to target interleukin-17A, a protein that is a proinflammatory cytokine produced by activated T cells.

Commenting on the development, the Managing Director of Eli Lilly and Company - India & India Subcontinent, Vineet Gupta, said, “Our foray into the dermatology segment strengthens Lilly’s promise of bringing innovative medicines to India.”

“Global studies show that the impact psoriasis has on a patient’s quality of life is comparable to that of ‘serious’ diseases such as cancer and heart failure,” he added.

“The availability of a new treatment like Copellor (Ixekizumab) will now empower healthcare providers with another option for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy, as well as treatment of adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis, a huge unmet need in the country,” he further added.

According to available estimates, psoriasis is a genetically determined immune-mediated inflammatory disease mediated by T-helper 1 (Th1)/Th17 T cells, is prevalent among 0.44-2.8 per cent in India, commonly affects individuals in their third or fourth decade and men twice more likely to be affected by the disease, compared to women, which significantly affect the quality of life of patients and their families resulting in physical, emotional and social burden.