Biologic drugs for treating psoriasis

Key features of the biologic drugs

• Taken by injection ( either in a surgery or at home depending on the specific medication)
• Treatment schedule and frequency vary
• Will improve psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis for some people but not all
• Short term side effects are generally minor although an allergic reaction to the injection can occur
• Long term safety is still being evaluated.
• They are expensive - between £8000 and £10,000 per annum.
• They must be taken continuously to maintain improvement.

One of the four biologic drugs is Remicade.

What is Remicade?

Remicade is a biologic medication approved by the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis and for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.

Key Features

• Approved for treating psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
• Given by three two-hour infusions by a doctor or nurse during the first six weeks of treatment. Infusions repeated every eight weeks after that
• Patients must be screened for tuberculosis (TB) before taking Remicade
• Remicade works more rapidly than other agents for psoriasis, but it may still be 4-8 weeks before any benefit is noticed. About 75% of patients respond to their first course of treatment but later courses may be less effective

How does it work?

Remicade blocks tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), a chemical “messenger” in the immune system that signals other cells to cause inflammation. There is too much TNF-a in the skin of people with psoriasis and the joints of people with certain types of arthritis. TNF-a can also lead to increased immune system activity through the activation of T cells. T cells are a type of white blood cell in the body; in psoriasis once T cells are mistakenly activated, they can trigger inflammation and other immune responses and fuel the development of psoriatic lesions. Remicade helps lower the amount of TNF-a to more normal levels, thus interrupting the inflammatory cycle of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and leading to improvement in symptoms for many people who take it.

Who is it for?

Remicade is indicated for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who failed to respond to, or have a contraindication to, or are intolerant to other systemic therapy including Cyclosporin, Methotrexate or PUVA. It is occasionally used to treat rare read more