Investigational drugs for treating psoriatic arthritis.
BACKGROUND
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthritis occurring in up to 30% of patients with psoriasis and can lead to progressive joint damage and disability. The emergence of 'biological' treatments, typified by the TNF inhibitors, has significantly advanced treatment of psoriatic disease over the last two decades and has led to an expanding field of drugs designed to target specific pathways identified in the pathogenesis of the disease.


METHODS
This review article describes current knowledge pertaining to genetic susceptibility and that gleaned from animal models. It discusses putative drug targets and drugs in development, up to Phase II, while acknowledging that many of these drugs are being investigated in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis rather than PsA alone.


CONCLUSIONS
Ongoing trials of some of these drugs, such as the JAK inhibitors, appear particularly promising, while the evolution of dual-targeting therapies affords the aspiration of enhanced efficacy, safety and remission. Paramount to the future of drug discovery and development is the affordability of these agents to the healthcare purchaser as well as their accessibility to the patient.
University of Toronto Psoriatic Arthritis Clinic, Centre for Prognosis Studies in the Rheumatic Diseases, University Health Network, Toronto Western Hospital , 1E 416, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2S8 , Canada +1 416 603 5192 ; +1 416 603 9387 ; vchandra@uhnresearch.ca.
Barry J
BJ
Sheane
Vinod
V
Chandran
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D059451:Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D006801:Humans
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D059451:Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals; D015507:Drugs, Investigational
psoriasis; psoriatic arthritis; small-molecular-weight inhibitors; spondyloarthritis; therapy