Promising new treatments for psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a chronic, proliferative, and inflammatory skin disease affecting 2-3% of the population and is characterized by red plaques with white scales. Psoriasis is a disease that can affect many aspects of professional and social life. Currently, several treatments are available to help control psoriasis such as methotrexate, ciclosporin, and oral retinoids. However, the available treatments are only able to relieve the symptoms and lives of individuals. The discovery of new immunological factors and a better understanding of psoriasis have turned to the use of immunological pathways and could develop new biological drugs against specific immunological elements that cause psoriasis. Biological drugs are less toxic to the body and more effective than traditional therapies. Thus, they should improve the quality of life of patients with psoriasis. This review describes new psoriasis treatments, which are on the market or currently in clinical trials that are being used to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. In addition, this paper describes the characteristics and mechanisms in detail. In general, biological drugs are well tolerated and appear to be an effective alternative to conventional therapies. However, their effectiveness and long-term side effects need to be further researched.
Centre LOEX de l'Université Laval, Génie Tissulaire et Régénération, LOEX-Centre de Recherche FRSQ du CHU, Aile-R, 1401 18e Rue, Québec, QC G1J 1Z4, Canada.
Sarah
S
Dubois Declercq
Roxane
R
Pouliot
D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*
D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents