Alefacept for erosive lichen planus: a case series.
BACKGROUND
Erosive mucosal lichen planus is thought to be an autoimmune disease mediated by increased T-cell activation and proliferation. Alefacept is a biologic agent that selectively targets memory T cells.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the preliminary efficacy and safety of alefacept in the treatment of moderate to severe mucosal LP.


METHODS
Seven subjects were randomly selected to receive either alefacept 15 mg or placebo every week for 12 weeks. Endpoints of the case series were the Physician Global Assessment (PGA) of disease severity, mucosal pain (MP) severity, and itch severity (IS). Both subjects and investigators were blinded.


RESULTS
Two of the subjects receiving alefacept achieved significant improvement during the study. There were no serious adverse events during the course of the study period.


CONCLUSIONS
In this small case series, alefacept may have conferred a modest therapeutic response in erosive lichen planus (LP). Larger multicenter prospective studies will be needed to determine whether alefacept can improve erosive LP in a statistically significant way.
Chang
Anne Lynn S
AL
Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Badger
Joanna
J
Rehmus
Wingfield
W
Kimball
Alexa Boer
AB
D000368:Aged; D000077944:Alefacept; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000077944:Alefacept