Drug gives hope to psoriasis sufferers

     London: Scientists have found that treatment with a drug called infliximab, marketed as Remicade, can quickly and significantly improve psoriasis symptoms, according to a study published in the recent issue of The Lancet. The European Infliximab for Psoriasis Efficacy and Safety Study (EXPRESS) was a placebo-controlled trial on 378 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, to test the efficacy and safety of the drug. The international team of scientists, led by a dermatologist at The University of Manchester, found that 80 percent of patients achieved at least a 75 percent improvement in symptoms after ten weeks treatment with the drug, as opposed to just 3 percent of those receiving a placebo. Psoriasis is a chronic condition which results when skin cells over-produce and accumulate on the surface of the skin, producing red, scaly 'plaques' which may itch and bleed. It is thought to be genetic in origin and is a consequence of an abnormal inflammatory response in the skin. Infliximab blocks the activity of 'tumour necrosis factor alpha' (TNF-alpha), a protein involved in inflammation, and the vast majority of the trial subjects treated with the drug achieved clinically-significant levels of skin clearance.

    Nearly 60 percent experienced at least a 90 percent improvement in symptoms - or near-complete skin clearance - after ten weeks, versus one percent receiving the placebo, whilst 26 percent achieved complete skin clearance. "These results indicate that Infliximab is a very effective therapy among the newer biological treatments for psoriasis. As a dermatologist, I am very encouraged by the data, which show that patients with moderate to severe psoriasis can rapidly achieve skin clearance and that these results can be maintained," said Professor Christopher Griffiths. Patients receiving Infliximab also experienced a good response in nail psoriasis, which is present in 20-50 percent of psoriasis patients and often thought of as a treatment-resistant disease. "Physicians' assessments of the patients' conditions backed up our findings, with 83 percent of those receiving the drug assessed as having minimal or cleared symptoms by week 10 of the trial as opposed to just 4% of those receiving the placebo," said Professor Griffiths.
Oct 14, 2005

Today's Headlines

TRAVEL NEWS

Travel Sites

Overseas Tourist
Offices

Tourist offices
in India

Helpline