Patients with chronic moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis involving the hands and Feet are a uniquely challenged subpopulation of psoriasis patients.
Phase IV study of Genentech (NYSE: DNA)’s Raptiva® (efalizumab) in this particular population yielded positive results - a first randomized clinical trial in this difficult-to-treat patient population.
According to Craig Leonardi, M.D., associate clinical professor of Dermatology at St. Louis University Medical School, St. Louis, Mo., and the study's lead investigator:
Plaque psoriasis on the hands and feet has been historically difficult to treat and poses unique challenges to a patient's life from the simple act of a handshake to the potentially crippling effect on a patient's ability to walk and even wear shoes comfortably. These data support Raptiva as an effective treatment option for this patient population."
Approved by the USFDA in October 2003 for the treatment of chronic moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults (18 years or older) who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy, Raptiva® (efalizumab) is a humanized therapeutic antibody designed to selectively and reversibly block the activation, reactivation and trafficking of T-cells that lead to the development of psoriasis.
The Phase IV study results were presented as a poster at the 65th annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in Washington, D.C.
Read more of the clinical data from the press release.
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