Premium
Long‐term efficacy of biologics in the treatment of psoriasis: what do we really know?
Author(s) -
Alwawi Eihab A.,
Krulig Eliana,
Gordon Kenneth B.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
dermatologic therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.595
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1529-8019
pISSN - 1396-0296
DOI - 10.1111/j.1529-8019.2009.01259.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ustekinumab , efalizumab , adalimumab , etanercept , psoriasis , infliximab , adverse effect , intensive care medicine , dermatology , food and drug administration , clinical trial , psoriatic arthritis , biosimilar , plaque psoriasis , pharmacology , disease , rheumatoid arthritis
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory condition that often requires life‐long treatment. Conventional therapies have not fully met the needs of psoriatic patients, because of limited efficacy, adverse effects with cumulative use, and patient inconvenience. In the past decade, biologic immunotherapies have become accepted treatments for psoriasis as a result of perceived efficacy and safety on the part of patients and practitioners. However, most data on these medications come from relatively limited short‐term trials. In this review, we will focus on the available long‐term data on the efficacy of the biologic agents. We will emphasize the strengths and weakness of the available data of the biologic agents that are Food and Drug Administration (FDA)‐approved for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis (alefacept, efalizumab, * etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab), with the inclusion of a newer agent currently under FDA evaluation (ustekinumab).