Sun Pharma touched a day high of Rs 1,802.40 on 30 October after the US FDA approved its drug ILUMYA for adults with psoriatic arthritis.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited said on 30 October that the US Food and Drug Administration has cleared ILUMYA (tildrakizumab-asmn) for adults with active psoriatic arthritis.

Until now, the drug was approved in the US only for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Psoriatic arthritis is a long-term, immune-related illness that causes joint pain, swelling and stiffness, and it can leave lasting joint damage.

Around 2.4 million people in the US live with it, the company said, and nearly one in three people with psoriasis go on to develop it.

ILUMYA works by blocking IL-23, a protein that drives inflammation.

Only healthcare professionals can administer it, so patients receive it under medical supervision.

The approval rests on two Phase 3 trials, INSPIRE-1 and INSPIRE-2, which tested the drug in adults with active disease, with results checked at 24 weeks after two doses.

Sun Pharma said safety matched the drug’s known profile, with no new concerns.

Patients still need a tuberculosis check before starting, and the drug can raise the risk of infections.

Upper respiratory infections and Covid-19 were the most common side effects reported.

Rick Ascroft, North America CEO at Sun Pharma, called the approval another milestone for the company’s medicines.

ILUMYA first won US approval in 2018. It is also cleared for plaque psoriasis in India, Australia, Canada, China and Japan, while Almirall sells it in Europe as ILUMETRI.

The company’s board is also set to meet on 30 October to consider financial results, according to the NSE event calendar.

At 11:35 am, Sun Pharma shares were trading at Rs 1,795.00 on NSE, up by 1.93% or Rs 34.00 from the previous close of Rs 1,761.00.

The stock has moved between Rs 1,766.20 and Rs 1,802.40 so far today, and its 52-week range is Rs 1,583.70 to Rs 2,046.90.

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