Biologic therapy for psoriasis

Abstract

Biologic therapies have revolutionized the treatment of psoriasis due to their effectiveness and relatively safe side effect profi le. Biologic drugs used to treat psoriasis are generally monoclonal antibodies, or derivatives of these molecules, that target specifi c proteins involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Unlike traditional systemic agents like cyclosporine and methotrexate, biologics specifi cally target only one or two cytokines or cellular receptors central to psoriasis pathophysiology. Furthermore, biologics generally have very few drug-drug interactions and can usually be used in patients with comorbid conditions such as renal insuffi ciency or liver disease, a population that is otherwise challenging to treat with conventional systemic agents.