NICE: New psoriasis guidance will give patients best treatment

NICE has said the approval of two drugs for the treatment of psoriasis and another drug for psoriatic arthritis will ensure patients receive the “best possible treatment”.

Wyeth’s Enbrel and the Genentech/Serono drug, Raptiva, have both been recommended for use in the treatment of psoriasis, while both Enbrel and Janssen-Cilag’s Remicade have been accepted to treat psoriatic arthritis.

Although there is no cure for psoriasis, the disease can be managed. It afflicts approximately two per cent of the UK population. Psoriatic arthritis is “closely associated” with psoriasis and it affects approximately five to seven per cent of psoriasis patients.

Enbrel is approved for use when other treatment forms have been unsuccessful, while Raptiva can be recommended if Enbrel did not work. Additionally, psoriatic arthritis patients may be treated with Remicade if Enbrel does not work.

Andrea Sutcliffe, executive lead for NICE’s appraisal, remarked: “Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are both extremely distressing conditions. Indeed, psoriasis has been shown to affect health-related quality of life to an extent similar to the effects of other chronic diseases such as depression, heart attack, hypertension, congestive heart failure or type two diabetes.”

“By recommending the use of these drugs as options for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in adults, today’s guidance from NICE will help people in England and Wales with these conditions to receive the best possible treatment,” she added.

The UK’s Psoriasis Association says that in simple terms, psoriasis is an overproduction of skin cells, where turnover is two or three days rather than the normal 21 to 28 days. This results in live cells reaching the surface of the skin, accumulating with dead cells in visible layers.

Psoriasis may be caused by genetic factors, triggered by injuries, infections, stress and certain drugs, according to the association.

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