New Plaque Psoriasis Treatment

Plaque Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease making the cells to pile up on the surface of the skin to form plaques on any part of the body but commonly seen in the elbows, knees and scalp that cause itching and burning sensation. As a pro-inflammatory biochemical called interleukin-17 (IL-17) is implicated in the development of psoriasis, the current standard topical therapies in the form of cream or gels for plaque psoriasis aim to suppress the inflammation and reduce itching using corticosteroids.

The recent breakthrough from Arcutis Biotherapeutics DERMIS-1 and DERMIS-2 studies of phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor drug roflumilast in cream form for plaque psoriasis is considered important.

In these clinical trials, roflumilast creams were safe and well tolerated among plaque psoriasis patients so it can be included instead of corticosteroids in mild and moderate cases.

If approved after comparator trials roflumilast will be the second PDE4 inhibitor following Amgen’s Otezla (apremilast) is set to launch in markets by 2022 across the UK, US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Japan.



Source-Medindia