In clinical trials, ixekizumab and adalimumab proved safe and effective in treating adults with active psoriatic arthritis. Also, the combination therapy of certolizumab pegol plus methotrexate was more effective than placebo for treating severe RA…

In clinical trials, ixekizumab and adalimumab proved safe and effective in treating adults with active psoriatic arthritis. Also, the combination therapy of certolizumab pegol plus methotrexate was more effective than placebo for treating severe RA…
In a recent study, the use of anifrolumab in SLE patients was shown to be safe and effective, enabling some patients to decrease their oral steroids. Also, secukinumab has been approved in Europe to treat ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis…
Reuters Staff |
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Apremilast is effective in patients with difficult to treat psoriasis of the scalp and nails, according to long-term results of two phase 3 trials. Investigators had previously reported 16-week data from the Efficacy and Safety Trial Evaluating the Effects of Apremilast in Psoriasis (ESTEEM) 1 and 2 trials. The new report includes…
Megan Brooks |
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Obese patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis are apt to experience significant symptomatic relief following bariatric surgery, according to a new chart review. Specifically, the study found that more than half of the patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis reported improvements in their disease following surgery. Dr. Soumya Reddy, assistant professor of…
Will Boggs, MD |
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Various organizations recommend dozens of screening and monitoring tests for patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis who are using systemic biologic agents, despite sparse evidence to support any of them. “At a population level, these medications have proven to be very safe and the evidence does not support such extensive and frequent…
Reuters Staff |
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The anti-interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody secukinumab improves signs and symptoms in patients with psoriatic arthritis, according to results from Novartis’ FUTURE 2 trial. In earlier studies, secukinumab has demonstrated superior effectiveness to placebo and etanercept in improving the signs and symptoms of psoriasis. Dr. Iain B. McInnes from the University of Glasgow in…
Kathryn Doyle |
(Reuters Health)—Up to 15% of people with psoriasis have undiagnosed arthritis that’s related to the skin condition, according to a new review. “The important takeaway,” said Dr. Abby Van Voorhees, director of the Psoriasis and Phototherapy Treatment Center at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, “would be that further education is needed…
Biosimilars for etanercept and sarilumab are being examined in multiple Phase 3 trials for their effects in RA and psoriasis patients.
Michele B. Kaufman, PharmD, CGP, RPh |
It seems to have begun in Norway, the international pressure to switch patients from well-known brand biologic agents, such as Remicade (infliximab), to biosimilar agents, due to a significant cost advantage.1 This biosimilar came with a 39% price markdown last year compared with the brand, and when Norway called for bids, the discount went to…
Brodalumab, an interleukin (IL) 17 inhibitor, is currently in early clinical trials (Phase 1b and Phase 2) for a number of different autoimmune diseases.1 Amgen recently terminated its co-development and commercialization agreement with AstraZeneca for the brodalumab investigational program in trials for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis. Amgen’s decision to…