Efalizumab for Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis
Title: Efalizumab for the treatment of moderate
to severe plaque psoriasis.
Author: Jordan, JK
Publication: Ann Pharmacother. 2005 Sep;39(9):1476-82.
Epub 2005 Jul 5.
The author wanted to evaluate the pharmacology, efficacy, and
safety of efalizumab in the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis.
To do this, he conducted a computer search from 1966 to May 2005
and reviewed the data in various articles.
Efalizumab acts by inhibiting the binding of CD11a (a part of
the leukocyte function-associated antigen type 1) to the intracellular
adhesion molecule 1. This results in decreased T-cell activation
and migration, two key steps in the development of psoriasis.
Results of clinical trials have demonstrated efalizumab is safe
and effective for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. It was
well tolerated in trials, with the majority of side effects arising
after the first dose (administered by injection) and decreasing
with subsequent doses. However, the high cost of this treatment
and lack of comparison trial with other psoriasis drugs will likely
limit the use of efalizumab for patients who had tried other drugs
or phototherapy without good results.
