Psoriasis News and Research

Latest Psoriasis News and Research

Immune cells in skin fight off infection better than the rest

Scientists at the University of Melbourne have discovered the local action of immune cells in the skin, which could improve treatment of viral skin infections.

8 Apr 2009

Trial of new biologic agent to treat psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis affects about 11 percent of patients with psoriasis.

8 Apr 2009

Positive phase 3 uveitis trial results for voclosporin

Isotechnika Inc. has announced that their partner, Lux Biosciences, Inc., reported the results from the three Phase 3 LUMINATE trials investigating voclosporin oral capsule (LUVENIQ or LX211) for the treatment of uveitis.

29 Mar 2009

Discovery of 'master regulator' gene for skin development

Researchers at Oregon State University have found one gene in the human body that appears to be a master regulator for skin development, in research that could help address everything from skin diseases such as eczema or psoriasis to the wrinkling of skin as people age.

24 Mar 2009

Low-dose acitretin may help reduce nail psoriasis

Low-dose acitretin (a drug used to treat skin psoriasis) therapy appears to reduce nail psoriasis symptoms, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Dermatology.

16 Mar 2009

BioCis Pharma starts trial of novel topical drug for dermatology

BioCis Pharma Ltd., a privately-held drug development company with its headquarters in Turku, Finland, announced that it has begun a new Phase IIa clinical testing of ProtoCure emulsion cream, the company's novel topical drug for dermatology.

12 Mar 2009

Small molecules block cancer gene

Finding molecules that block the activity of the oncogene Stat 3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription) required screening literally millions of compounds, using computers that compared the structure of the cancer-causing gene to those of the small molecules, said a Baylor College of Medicine researcher in a report that appears in the current online issue of the journal PLoS One (Public Library of Science ONE).

11 Mar 2009

CytoDyn responds to FDA as high court rules agency cannot guarantee drug safety

CytoDyn, Inc. has sent the FDA what the Company believes is a complete response to the agency's preliminary comments on Cytolin, a monoclonal antibody designed to restore immune function in those afflicted with HIV/AIDS.

10 Mar 2009

Dermatologists caution that severe cases of psoriasis can be associated with other serious medical conditions

On the surface, the thick, red, scaly, itchy plaques of psoriasis - which have been shown to have a significant negative impact on a person's overall quality of life - may not appear to pose a serious health risk for patients. However, a growing body of research suggests that psoriasis patients are at an increased risk of developing serious medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, particularly when their psoriasis is severe.

5 Mar 2009

Basis of immunity to oral thrush, common in AIDS, identified by UB researchers

Oral thrush, a hallmark symptom in AIDS patients, is caused by a type of yeast that grows unchecked in people with weakened immune systems, and appears in colonies of white patches in the mouth.

23 Feb 2009

FDA issues warning on psoriasis drug Raptiva (efalizumab)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a public health advisory concerning three confirmed, and one possible report of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare brain infection, in patients using the psoriasis drug Raptiva (efalizumab).

20 Feb 2009

New understanding on how inflammatory disease causes fatigue

New animal research in the February 18 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience may indicate how certain diseases make people feel so tired and listless.

18 Feb 2009

Study on ustekinumab for treatment of psoriatic arthritis published

A group of patients suffering from potentially debilitating psoriatic arthritis showed significant and prolonged improvement after treatment with ustekinumab, according to data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with moderate to severe psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

11 Feb 2009

Immunosuppressant medication cyclosporine may be cost-effective for dry eye syndrome

A topical eye emulsion consisting of cyclosporine (a medication used to reduce transplant rejections or to treat arthritis and psoriasis) may be a cost-effective treatment for dry eye syndrome that does not respond to other therapies, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

9 Feb 2009

Century old drug clofazimine shows potential for multiple sclerosis

A century-old drug that failed in its original intent to treat tuberculosis but has worked well as an antileprosy medicine now holds new promise as a potential therapy for multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.

2 Feb 2009

New understanding of genetic basis of psoriasis

Two international teams of researchers have made significant gains in understanding the genetic basis of psoriasis, a chronic skin condition that can be debilitating in some patients.

27 Jan 2009

Compromised skin barrier function plays a role in the development of psoriasis

Researchers at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and the Anhui Medical University, China, have identified genes that play an important role in the development of psoriasis, a common chronic skin disease.

27 Jan 2009

Online communities provide valuable support for psoriasis sufferers

Online support communities appear to offer both a valuable educational resource and a source of psychological and social support for individuals with psoriasis, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Dermatology.

19 Jan 2009

Onyx Pharmaceuticals acquires license option on novel JAK2 inhibitors from S*BIO

Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that it has acquired an option to license rights to SB1518, an orally available, potent, and selective inhibitor of Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2), and SB1578, also a JAK2 inhibitor, from S*BIO Pte Ltd based in Singapore.

6 Jan 2009

FDA issues complete response to biologics license application for ustekinumab

Centocor, Inc., has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Complete Response letter for its Biologics License Application (BLA) for ustekinumab.

21 Dec 2008