Biologic Therapies for Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that may lead to disability and significant effects on patients' quality of life. A challenge in psoriasis management is to use an effective therapy early in the disease course in order to achieve a safe and well tolerated maintenance of remission with an improvement of both skin and joint manifestations. Recent advances in knowledge of the pathogenesis of psoriasis helped develop targeted treatment options that may be effective and well tolerated over long periods of administration. thus improving the patient's quality of life. These novel "biologic" agents specifically target tumor necrosis factor-alpha (infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab) or T cells (efalizumab). J Rheumatol 2009;36 Suppl 83:62-64; doi:10.3899/jrheum.090228)