Novartis real world study shows almost half of chronic urticaria patients are not receiving any treatment despite significant disease burden

Novartis International AG / Novartis real world study shows almost half of chronic urticaria patients are not receiving any treatment despite significant disease burden . Processed and transmitted by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

• Urgent need to improve management of chronic urticaria (CU) - a disease that causes itchy, persistent hives and swelling which last more than 6 weeks or recur over months or years - highlighted by study of over 3,700 patients[1],[2]
  
  

42% of CU patients studied are not receiving any treatment for their debilitating condition and 83% show a negative impact on their quality of life[1]

This further confirms that many chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) patients are not treated according to recommended guidelines[3],[4] - Xolair^® (omalizumab)* is the only licensed third-line treatment for CSU, a type of CU[5]

Basel, June 20, 2017 - Novartis announced today new baseline results from a real world study of 3,733 chronic urticaria (CU) patients showing many are not receiving adequate care, with almost half (42%) not receiving any treatment at all for the debilitating disease despite 83% suffering a negative impact on their quality of life[1]. The findings are consistent with earlier research that found many chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) patients are not treated according to recommended guidelines[3],[4] that include Xolair^® (omalizumab) - the only licensed option for CSU, a type of CU[5]. The findings were presented at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Annual Congress in Helsinki, Finland.

The results are part of the worldwide non-interventional AWARE study. These data from 12 European countries reveal the significant impact of CU - a severe disease that causes itchy, persistent hives and painful swelling for at least 6 weeks and in a substantial number of cases even years or decades[2]. Symptoms may occur in visible and highly-sensitive areas of the body, such as around the eyelids, lips, and mouth[6], and the psychological and social impact of the disease is significant[7]-[10].