A Study of Secukinumab to Evaluate Maintenance of Response in Participants With Non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis Who Achieved Remission

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male or non-pregnant, non-lactating female participants at least 18 years of age

• Clinical diagnosis of axSpA AND according to ASAS axSpA criteria:

1. Inflammatory back pain for at least 6 months

2. Onset before 45 years of age

3. Sacroiliitis on MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) (as assessed by centralreader) with ≥ 1 SpA feature OR HLA-B-27 positive with ≥2 SpA features

• Objective signs of inflammation at screening, evident by either MRI with SacroiliacJoint inflammation (as assessed by central reader) AND / OR hsCRP > ULN (as definedby the central lab)

• Active axSpA as assessed by total BASDAI ≥ 4 cm (0-10 cm) at baseline.

• Spinal pain as measured by BASDAI question #2 ≥ 4 cm (0-10 cm) at baseline.

• Total back pain as measured by VAS (visual analog scale) ≥ 40 mm (0-100 mm) atbaseline.

• Participants should have been on at least 2 different NSAIDs (non-steroidalanti-inflammatory drugs) at the highest recommended dose for at least 4 weeks intotal prior to baseline with an inadequate response or failure to respond, or lessif therapy had to be withdrawn due to intolerance, toxicity or contraindications.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants with radiographic evidence for sacroiliitis, grade ≥ 2 bilaterally orgrade ≥ 3 unilaterally (radiological criterion according to the modified New Yorkdiagnostic criteria for AS) as assessed by central reader.

• Participants taking high potency opioid analgesics (e.g., methadone, hydromorphone,morphine).

• Previous exposure to secukinumab or any other biologic drug directly targeting IL-17or IL-17 receptor or previous treatment with immunomodulatory biologic agentsincluding those targeting TNFα (tumor necrosis factor α) (unless participantsdiscontinued the treatment with TNFα inhibitor due to a reason other than efficacy [primary or secondary lack of efficacy, inadequate response] and only afterappropriate wash-out period prior to baseline was observed).

• History of hypersensitivity to the study drug or its excipients or to drugs ofsimilar chemical classes.

• Active ongoing inflammatory diseases other than nr-axSpA that might confound theevaluation of the benefit of secukinumab therapy, including uveitis.

• Active inflammatory bowel disease.

• History of ongoing, chronic or recurrent infectious disease or evidence oftuberculosis infection.