Open AccessBiological therapy of psoriasis
Author(s) -
Raja K. Sivamani,
Genevieve Correa,
Yoko Ono,
Michael P. Bowen,
S. P. Raychaudhuri,
Emanual Maverakis
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
indian journal of dermatology/indian journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.395
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1998-3611
pISSN - 0019-5154
DOI - 10.4103/0019-5154.62754
Subject(s) - efalizumab , medicine , adalimumab , ustekinumab , infliximab , etanercept , psoriasis , ixekizumab , biologic agents , immune system , dermatology , immunology , intensive care medicine , secukinumab , tumor necrosis factor alpha , psoriatic arthritis , rheumatoid arthritis
The treatment of psoriasis has undergone a revolution with the advent of biologic therapies, including infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab, efalizumab, and alefacept. These medications are designed to target specific components of the immune system and are a major technological advancement over traditional immunosuppressive medications. These usually being well tolerated are being found useful in a growing number of immune-mediated diseases, psoriasis being just one example. The newest biologic, ustekinumab, is directed against the p40 subunit of the IL-12 and IL-23 cytokines. It has provided a new avenue of therapy for an array of T-cell-mediated diseases. Biologics are generally safe; however, there has been concern over the risk of lymphoma with use of these agents. All anti-TNF-alpha agents have been associated with a variety of serious and "routine" opportunistic infections.