Celgene reports positive data for psoriatic arthritis treatment

Celgene has published new clinical data demonstrating the benefits of its investigational psoriatic arthritis treatment apremilast.

Positive results have emerged from Palace-1, the first of three phase III studies evaluating the company's oral small-molecule inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 4 in patients with psoriatic arthritis who had received an oral disease-modifying antirheumatic drug, biologic therapy or had failed on an anti-tumour necrosis factor agent.

Apremilast achieved statistically significant improvements in terms of both signs and symptoms and physical function among the trial subjects, while its tolerability levels improved compared to phase II studies.

Top-line results from the Palace-2 and Palace-3 trials are expected to be published in the third quarter of 2012.

Celgene will use this combined data to support regulatory filings for the drug in the US in the first half of 2013, followed by a European submission in the second half.

Last month, the company highlighted the progression of its development of the drug Abraxane against a number of difficult-to-treat cancers, including metastatic pancreatic cancer and advanced non-small cell lung cancer.