American pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly, following approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), has announced the launch of Copellor (Ixekizumab) in India 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 humanised IgG4 monoclonal antibody, Copellor (Ixekizumab) is designed to specifically target IL-17A, a protein that plays a role in triggering and maintaining inflammation in psoriasis.

Vineet Gupta, Managing Director, Eli Lilly and Company - India & India Subcontinent 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. 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.”

Copellor (Ixekizumab) is a prescription medicine to be used only on the advice of a dermatologist or rheumatologist and under medical supervision. It is available in one strength of 80 mg/ml in a single dose prefilled autoinjector.

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated, inflammatory disease, affecting 125 million individuals worldwide. In India, the prevalence of psoriasis varies from 0.44 to 2.8% and the incidence of Psoriatic arthritis is estimated to range from 7% to 42% among all psoriasis patients.