title: Micellar paclitaxel improves severe psoriasis in a prospective phase II pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Taxanes (eg, paclitaxel) are chemotherapeutic agents that have antiproliferative, antiangiogenic, and antiinflammatory properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to explore the safety and efficacy of paclitaxel in individuals with severe psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  An open-label, prospective, phase II pilot study was conducted at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, a federal government medical research facility, in Bethesda, Maryland. Twelve patients with severe psoriasis, as defined by a baseline Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score of >or= 20), were studied. Initially, patients received 6 intravenous infusions of micellar paclitaxel, 75 mg/m(2), at 4-week intervals (stage I). Later patients received 9 intravenous infusions of micellar paclitaxel at 2-week intervals (37.5 mg/m(2) for 3 doses followed by 50 mg/m(2) for six additional doses) (stage II). The primary end point was the percent change in the PASI from week 0 to week 24 in stage I and from week 0 to week 20 in stage II.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In stage I, all 5 patients improved (mean = 59.7% decrease in PASI, median = 59.6%, range: 40.3%-79.2%). Four of the 7 patients completed stage II and all of these patients improved (mean = 45.9% decrease in PASI, median = 45.0%, range: 14.6%-79.1%). Micellar paclitaxel was well tolerated by most patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Micellar paclitaxel demonstrates therapeutic activity in patients with severe psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Booher
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Becerra
authors.forename: Debra L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Borris
authors.forename: W Douglas
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Figg
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blauvelt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008823:Micelles; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D008823:Micelles; D017239:Paclitaxel