Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, India’s largest drug maker, Wednesday said it got US FDA approval for its much awaited psoriasis drug Ilumya.
Ilumya generically called as tildrakizumab-asmn falls in the category of specialty drugs - medications that treat complex or rare diseases such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, skin conditions among others.
Ilumya approval is a major breakthrough for Sun Pharma which is betting big on specialty drugs to stay ahead of generic rivals in the highly competitive US generics market, where the company sales are on a declining trend.
Specialty drugs are protected by patents and allow drug makers to set prices, but companies have to invest heavily on research & development and front end sales presence in the US.
Ilumya is used for the treatment of the most common plaque psoriasis – a chronic immune disease that appears on the skin.
“With the approval of Ilumya and our long-standing commitment in dermatology, we are focused on making a difference for people living with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis,” said Abhay Gandhi, President and Chief Executive Officer, North America of Sun Pharma in a press release.