Over the past two decades, biologic therapies have revolutionized the treatment of psoriasis, with more than half of treated patients now able to achieve essentially complete clearing of their disease.
In this white paper, we will explore the history of psoriasis treatment – including topical and oral therapies – and the evolution of biologics.
Psoriasis is a common, chronic skin disorder, affecting as many as 7.5 million people in the U.S. and at least 100 million worldwide. Although psoriasis itself often does not affect survival, it is associated with a variety of comorbidities, including psoriatic arthritis, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and depression. It can also cause significant detriment to quality of life. In fact, patients with psoriasis have a reduction in their quality of life similar to, or worse than, patients with other chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Prior to 1955, psoriasis was treated with a wide variety of therapeutic agents ranging from arsenic and ammoniated mercury to chrysarobin, anthralin, and tars. Topical corticosteroids have been widely used in psoriasis and other skin conditions since 1951, and have been the standard therapy for inflammatory skin diseases. Usage of methotrexate as a treatment for psoriasis became more common in the 1970s.
Over the past 60 years, the landscape of psoriasis treatment has changed dramatically. Advances in psoriasis therapy have accelerated over the past two decades, and have been life-changing for those who are severely afflicted with the condition. In this white paper, we explore the history of psoriasis treatment, including the recent evolution of biologics.
