Therapeutics Focus: Psoriasis

FDA Approves Enbrel Biosimilar

The FDA approved Erelzi for multiple inflammatory diseases. Erelzi is a biosimilar to Enbrel (etanercept), which was originally licensed in 1998. There are now three FDA-approved biosmilars. Exactly when any of these drugs will be on the market is unclear due to patent disputes.

Erelzi is administered by injection for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA), including use in combination with methotrexate (MTX) in PsA patients who do not respond adequately to MTX alone; chronic moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients (18 years or older); moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis, either as a standalone therapy or in combination with MTX; moderate-to-severe polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in patients ages two and older; and active ankylosing spondylitis.

The most serious known side effects with Erelzi are infections, neurologic events, congestive heart failure, and hematologic events. The most common expected adverse reactions with Erelzi are infections and injection site reactions. Erelzi should not be administered to patients with sepsis. n

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Advances in Psoriasis Treatment: IL-17 Inhibitors

Jeffery Weinberg, MD discusses what he describes as a second revolution in the biologic therapy to treat psoriasis: a new class of biologics, IL-17 inhibitors, including first-in-class secukinumab and the recently approved ixekizumab.

Watch the video at http://bit.ly/2c4PBO4