Novartis Healthcare Pvt. Ltd (NHPL), a unit of Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company Novartis International AG on Thursday said it has launched a drug, Scapho 150 mg, in India for the treatment of psoriasis.

Scapho, generically called as secukinumab, is an injectable medicine and the first interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor to be approved in India for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients.

Novartis didn’t disclose the pricing of the drug.

Scapho branded as Cosentyx in the US and Europe is a fully human monoclonal antibody that selectively neutralizes circulating IL-17A.

Research suggests that IL-17A may play an important role in driving the body’s immune response in psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis

“This approval marks a significant milestone in the treatment of psoriasis, providing a new and important first-line biologic treatment option for patients who are candidates for systemic therapy, Novartis said in a statement.

Secukinumab was developed for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients who are candidates for systemic therapy with a recommended dose of 300 mg.

“This is groundbreaking news as clear skin can now be a reality for patients struggling to cope with psoriasis,” said Anchala Parthasaradhi, senior dermatologist and director of Anchala Skin Institute, Hyderabad.

Psoriasis is a common, non-contagious, autoimmune disease that affects up to 3% of the world’s population.

Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of the disease and appears as raised, red patches covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells.