"Trial Drug Clears Psoriasis Better Than Humira."

"According to clinical trial results published in July's New England Journal of Medicine, up to 45 percent of psoriasis patients taking a biologic called guselkumab had completely clear skin after four months." Read On here:
https://www.psoriasis.org/advance/tr...er-than-humira


NEJM Article on Guselkumab Trials:

A Phase 2 Trial of Guselkumab versus Adalimumab for Plaque Psoriasis
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1501646

Guselkumab is currently being tested in Phase 3 trials, thus not yet available by prescription.


Psoriasis is a "systemic" disease with significant co-morbidities, including heart disease, diabetes and more. Patients with psoriasis skin lesions often benefit from immune modulation (or suppression) and the minimizing of systemic inflammation, etc. The goal of clearing lesions is just a part of the goal, as there are often underlying co-occurring conditions needing treatment as well.

This is exciting news for many people suffering treatment-resistant Plaque Psoriasis. I hope this medication will truly be helpful to those suffering.


To Our Healing,
DejaVu

Thanks DejaVu - those results are impressive.

Targeting IL-23 (guselkumab) as well as/instead of TNF (adalimumab) looks like a good plan to me.

Hi Kiwi,

Its interesting!

Stelara targets IL-23 and IL-12.
A different drug, BI 655066, also targets the cytokine IL-23 (only).
Stelara and BI 655066 were compared in a trial.
In the Phase 1 Trial, BI 655066, performed better than Stelara.

"Earlier in March, data from a Phase I trial of BI 655066 were published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In that trial, more than half of patients on the drug experienced at least a 90 percent improvement in psoriasis after three months, researchers reported."

BI 655066 has moved on to Phase 2 Trial.

https://www.psoriasis.org/advance/tr...r-than-stelara

It's appearing as though the idea of targeting IL-23 may be very helpful.

People really suffer with Psoriasis.

I've been fortunate to deal with only minimal skin psoriasis. I had started to experience more this year, yet still minimal. I do deal with progressing psoriatic arthritis and my treatment options are very limited due to co-existing medical conditions.

I am usually keeping an eye on the research.

Thanks for your feedback.

Warmly,
DejaVu

Hi DejaVu

Thanks for that - I had not come across BI 655066 or Stelara before.

Coming back to the NEJM paper. I would have been inclined to split the subjects into four groups (at random and double-blind of course).

Group 1 would get placebo 1 and placebo 2. Group 2 would get guselkumab and placebo 1. Group 3 would get adalimumab and placebo 1. Group 4 would get guselkumab and adalimumab.

The point is that maybe some people with psoriasis will be helped more by both guselkumab and adalimumab (different targets) - Group 4 compared to Groups 2 and 3 - than either in isolation. That could make a difference.

Progressing psoriatic arthritis is not one of my health issues but I hope that you are getting good care .

Kiwi

Hi Kiwi,

I see great value in the way you would have split up the groups.
I wonder if a similar study will occur in the future, as researchers get further into the use of guselkumab.

These studies are on how these drugs affect Plaque Psoriasis and not (yet) about how they affect Psoriatic Arthritis. I try to follow the research anyway.
Sometimes, some of these psoriasis drugs are later used in Psoriatic Arthritis.
Many people do not realize psoriatic conditions are "systemic" with known co-morbidities. (Similar to Rheumatoid arthritis in raising havoc with organs, etc. Yet, also different from Rheumatoid arthritis.)

Fortunately for me, my Psoriatic Arthritis (aka PsA) is slowly progressive. It's often extremely painful nonetheless. My rheumatologist is extremely bright and able to fully comprehend the complexities of the multiple co-occurring diagnoses in my case, which is truly complicated. She is great at thinking outside of the box and keeps me "safe," as there are some major contraindications to my attempting some of the drugs.

Thanks again for your feedback!

Warmly,
DejaVu