This is a post-approval commitment study to evaluate efficacy, and safety of two dosing regimens of secukinumab (AIN457), 300 mg every four weeks (Q4W) and every two weeks (Q2W), in Chinese adult patients with moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).

The study consists of a Screening period (at least 7 days and up to 4 weeks), Treatment Period 1 (16 weeks), Treatment Period 2 (36 weeks), and a post-treatment Follow-up period (10 or 12 weeks depending on dose regimens). Total duration of the study is up to 66 weeks.

Screening period: A screening period of at least 7 days and up to 4 weeks will be used to assess the participant´s eligibility, to complete 7-day Pain NRS and to washout and/or taper prohibited medication(s).

Treatment Period 1: All participants will be administered subcutaneous (s.c.) injections of secukinumab 300 mg once a week for five weeks (induction) at Baseline, Weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4. Thereafter, the frequency of study drug injections will be every 4 weeks for all participants up to Week 16.

Treatment Period 2: Starting from Week 16, participants can continue secukinumab 300 mg Q4W dosing until Week 48 or switch to secukinumab 300 mg Q2W, until Week 50 based on investigator's judgement at Week 16.

Follow-up period: Participants who prematurely discontinue study treatment in Treatment Periods 1 or 2 for any reason will enter the Post-Treatment Follow-Up period and complete the EOS visit (12 weeks after the last administration of study treatment).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Signed informed consent must be obtained before any assessment is performed.

• Chinese male and female participants ≥ 18 years of age.

• Confirmed/documented diagnosis of HS ≥ 6 months prior to baseline.

• Participants with moderate to severe HS at baseline defined as:

  • A total of at least 5 inflammatory lesions, i.e., abscesses and/or inflammatory nodules AND
  • Inflammatory lesions should affect at least 2 distinct anatomic areas (e.g., left and right axillae)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Total fistulae count ≥ 20 at baseline.
• Any other active skin disease or condition that may interfere with assessment of HS at baseline.
• Active inflammatory bowel disease.
• Underlying conditions (including, but not limited to, metabolic, hematologic, renal, hepatic, pulmonary, neurologic, endocrine, cardiac, infectious including tuberculosis and hepatitis, or gastrointestinal conditions), which in the opinion of the investigator, significantly immunocompromise the participant and/or place the participant at unacceptable risk for receiving an immunomodulatory therapy.
• Use or planned use of systemic biological/non-biological immunomodulator, corticosteroid treatment for HS, or participation in any interventional trial
• Previous exposure to secukinumab (AIN457) or any other biologic drug directly targeting IL-17A, IL-17 A/F or the IL-17 receptor.
• Women of childbearing potential, defined as all women physiologically capable of becoming pregnant, unless they are using methods of contraception during the entire study.

Novartis is committed to sharing with qualified external researchers, access to patient-level data and supporting clinical documents from eligible studies. These requests are reviewed and approved by an independent review panel on the basis of scientific merit. All data provided is anonymized to respect the privacy of patients who have participated in the trial in line with applicable laws and regulations.

This trial data availability is according to the criteria and process described on www.clinicalstudydatarequest.com