Eczema and psoriasis? THIS part of your morning routine could be triggering skin problems – Express.co.uk

GETTY

However, having a shower could be making them worse - if you live in a hard water area, that is.

This type of water is supplied to 60 per cent of UK homes, including the south east and east midlands.

However its been suggested that it aggravates skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

There are currently 1.7 million people in the UK with eczema, and cases have risen by 40 per cent in recent years.

GETTY

When the skin's barrier function is compromised, such as in eczema, the minerals can enter the skin as allergens causing inflammation and worsening eczema.

Dr Sharon Wong

Its a condition that causes the skin to become itchy, red, dry and cracked, according to the NHS.

Dr Sharon Wong, consultant dermatologist (www.drsharonwong.com), said: Hard water does not directly cause eczema but is a common aggravating factor in those who are genetically predisposed to developing eczema.

Hard water, which has a greater mineral content - mainly calcium and magnesium ions - has been linked to an increased risk of eczema and more severe disease in children.

When the skin's barrier function is compromised, such as in eczema, the minerals can enter the skin as allergens causing inflammation and worsening eczema.

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Similarly, psoriasis - which affects two to three per cent of the UK population - causes red, flaky, crusty patches of skin covered with silvery scales.

Whilst there is no evidence that hard water causes psoriasis, the fact that the minerals in hard water have a drying effect on the skin can worsen psoriasis and other dry skin problems, she explained.

Whether the water that comes out of your tap is soft or hard depends on the geology of your area, but there are ways to minimise or stop its negative effects on your skin.

Dr Wong added: This can be minimised by installing a water softener, using bath oils not bubble bath and using emollient/cream washes instead of soap.

GETTY

Both bubble bath and soaps contain surfactant which strips away the natural oils of your skin. Finally, using a regular and good moisturiser helps because it forms a protective layer on the skin thus preventing further fluid loss.

Sukhbinder Noorpuri, GP and CEO of i-GP, said: Hard water contains dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium. When used with soaps and detergents, this leaves a skin residue which blocks pores trapping oil, leading to irritation, dryness, blemishes and itching.

A water softener will reduce these skin issues, and convert the minerals found in hard water, into more soluble minerals that are less harmful for the skin.

Ecocamel have created the Shower Head ORB SPA which can convert hard water into soft water.

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Eczema and psoriasis? THIS part of your morning routine could be triggering skin problems - Express.co.uk

Plaque Psoriasis Treatment Market Estimated to Flourish by 2017 … – Digital Journal

Psoriasis increases the chances of myocardial infarction in younger psoriasis patients by three folds.

This press release was orginally distributed by SBWire

New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/08/2017 -- Plaque psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune inflammatory disorder which leads to overproduction of skin cells. The skin is characterized by inflamed, raised, scaly, red plaques and lesion. The intensity and frequency of psoriasis are affected by environmental factors such as sun exposure, smoking, HIV infection, and alcoholism. Metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease are common in psoriasis patients. Psoriasis increases the chances of myocardial infarction in younger psoriasis patients by three folds.

Moreover, severe psoriasis leads to 3.5 years reduced life expectancy in males relative to individuals without psoriasis. Psoriasis arthritis is a distinct syndrome which occurs in one-third of psoriasis patient with the onset of rheumatic arthritis.

Psoriasis plaque are distinguished by three features, an infiltrate featuring T-cells, the extravagant growth of poorly differentiated keratinocytes and the presence of dilated dermal blood vessels. Most of the introduced therapies for psoriatic were developed as to target T-cells or their inflammatory mediators including cytokines, receptors, and ligands.

Plaque Psoriasis Treatment Market: Dynamics

The demand for plaque psoriasis treatment market is expected to boom with the increasing number of pipeline psoriasis molecule and the number of biologics being launched. Janssen Biotec is seeking for the market approval of Guselkumab. The molecule is in the Phase III trial as a subcutaneous administered therapy for the treatment of plaque psoriasis.

Moreover, Gelantin Therapeutics Inc. announced positive data from its phase 2 study of its drug GR-MD-02 to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The company is now seeking for strategic partnership for its drug development program.

The advent of biologics has also shifted the preference from systemic therapy to meet the existing need. The systemic therapy suppresses the entire immune system as the clinician needs to do routine laboratory monitoring because of myelosuppression, hematologic side effects and increased renal and liver toxicity. Moreover, the systemic therapy is also contraindicated in nursing mothers, pregnant women, and individuals with kidney and liver diseases.

Around 125 million people worldwide have psoriasis out of which 80%, have plaque psoriasis. The need for safe plaque psoriasis therapy in children is essential as about one-third of the psoriasis cases are in children. Etanercept was approved by the DA as an extended indicated for children of age 4 and above.

Phototherapy and systemic therapy should only be used in cases where a topical treatment is inadequate. Novel systemic treatments are now being introduced where a range of biologics are sed. The mode of treatment follows a psoriasis treatment ladder. Initially, topical treatment is given, if the skin fails to respond then phototherapy is given. The third step involves the use of systemic treatment which may be through the administration of pills or injection.

TNF-? inhibitor was the first class of biologics which were successful in delivering the treatment while still maintaining the safety profile. Enbrel was the first molecule to be approved followed by Remicade and Humira. The introduction of these molecules increased the overall sales of the psoriasis drugs and also increased the physician's comfort and familiarity.

Plaque Psoriasis Treatment Market: Region-wise Outlook

North America region dominates the plaque psoriasis market owing to the increasing approval of pipeline drugs and supplemental biologics. In November 2016, the FDA approved supplemental biologics license for the use of Etanercept for children aged four and older having moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The approval is the first of its kind indicated for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Amgen had performed a year-long phase 3 study and 5-year open-label extension testing for the approval.

A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/16069

AsiaPacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region owing to the huge population base and changing lifestyle habits such as smoking. Moreover, the global market players are also exploring the developing market. Novartis launched its Cosentyx in Japan for the treatment of psoriasis arthritis in adults who are not adequately responding to systemic therapy.

Plaque Psoriasis Treatment Market: Market Players

Company manufacturer is converting innovative research into a new therapy by constantly investing in research activities. The number of drugs approved for plaque psoriasis is constantly increasing the number of treatment options for the physician and patients. Eli Lilly's interleukin inhibitor was approved by the FDA, second molecule to be approved after Novartis Cosentyx.

Request to View Tables of Content @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/16069

Some of the plaque psoriasis treatment market contributors are Allergan, Johnson and Johnson, Amgen, Abbvie, Eli Lilly, Dermira Inc., Novartis, Galectin Therapeutics, Cellceutix Corporation and Biogen Inc., Bayer.

To Know About Latest Report Click Here: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/plaque-psoriasis-treatment-market.asp

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/plaque-psoriasis-treatment-market-estimated-to-flourish-by-2017-2025-persistence-market-research-817672.htm

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Plaque Psoriasis Treatment Market Estimated to Flourish by 2017 ... - Digital Journal

List of Psoriasis Medications (213 Compared) – Drugs.com

clobetasol Rx C N 49reviews

8.0

Generic name:clobetasol topical

Brand names: Clobex, Temovate, Dermovate, Olux, Clobevate, Clodan, Cormax, Cormax Scalp, Embeline, Embeline E, Olux-E, Olux / Olux-E Kit, Temovate E

Drug class: topical steroids

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: A-Z Drug Facts, AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

7.0

Generic name:adalimumab systemic

Drug class: antirheumatics, TNF alfa inhibitors

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

8.0

Generic name:methotrexate systemic

Brand names: Otrexup, Trexall, Rasuvo

Drug class: antimetabolites, antirheumatics, antipsoriatics, other immunosuppressants

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: A-Z Drug Facts, AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

8.0

Generic name:ustekinumab systemic

Drug class: interleukin inhibitors

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

9.0

Generic name:mometasone topical

Drug class: topical steroids

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

6.0

Generic name:triamcinolone topical

Brand names: Kenalog, Triderm, Aristocort A, Aristocort R, Cinolar, Pediaderm TA, Triacet, Trianex

Drug class: topical steroids

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: A-Z Drug Facts, AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

8.0

Generic name:clobetasol topical

Drug class: topical steroids

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: Prescribing Information

7.0

Generic name:calcipotriene topical

Drug class: topical antipsoriatics

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

9.0

Generic name:tazarotene topical

Drug class: topical antipsoriatics

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: Prescribing Information

8.0

Generic name:fluocinonide topical

Brand names: Fluocinonide-E, Vanos

Drug class: topical steroids

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: A-Z Drug Facts, Prescribing Information

7.0

Generic name:acitretin systemic

Drug class: antipsoriatics

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

7.0

Generic name:betamethasone / calcipotriene topical

Drug class: topical antipsoriatics

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: Prescribing Information

10

Generic name:clobetasol topical

Drug class: topical steroids

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: Prescribing Information

9.0

Generic name:triamcinolone systemic

Brand names: Kenalog-40, Kenalog-10, Aristospan, Clinacort

Drug class: glucocorticoids

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: A-Z Drug Facts, AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

9.0

Generic name:desonide topical

Brand names: Desonate, DesOwen, LoKara, Tridesilon, Verdeso

Drug class: topical steroids

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: A-Z Drug Facts, AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

7.0

Generic name:calcipotriene topical

Brand names: Dovonex, Calcitrene, Sorilux

Drug class: topical antipsoriatics

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: A-Z Drug Facts, AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

9.0

Generic name:triamcinolone systemic

Drug class: glucocorticoids

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: Prescribing Information

9.0

Generic name:mometasone topical

Brand name: Elocon

Drug class: topical steroids

For consumers: dosage, interactions, side effects

For professionals: A-Z Drug Facts, AHFS DI Monograph, Prescribing Information

9.0

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List of Psoriasis Medications (213 Compared) - Drugs.com

Psoriasis, often misdiagnosed, may lead to heart disease | Miami … – Miami Herald


Miami Herald
Psoriasis, often misdiagnosed, may lead to heart disease | Miami ...
Miami Herald
Many doctors think psoriasis is cosmetic condition, but it's actually caused by the immune system. Failure to diagnose it properly can can lead to serious health ...
7 Things People With Psoriasis Want You to Know - SheKnowsSheKnows.com

all 3 news articles »

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Psoriasis, often misdiagnosed, may lead to heart disease | Miami ... - Miami Herald

Men More Prone to Severe Psoriasis: Study – WebMD

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, April 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Severe psoriasis is much more common in men than women, a new study from Sweden reports.

Researchers reviewed data from more than 5,400 people in Sweden with the common skin disease. The study found that women had a significantly lower rate of severe psoriasis than men.

This was true for all age groups and for all parts of the body except the head, where severity scores were about the same for both sexes.

The discovery that men's psoriasis is often more serious helps explain a gender gap, with more men than women seeking psoriasis treatment, said study senior author Marcus Schmitt-Egenolf. He is a researcher at Umea University's Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine.

"These findings should motivate a gender perspective in the management of severe psoriasis and its comorbidities, such as cardiovascular and metabolic disease," Schmitt-Egenolf said in a university news release.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disease. Unlike severe psoriasis, most autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis are more common in women than in men.

The study was published recently in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology.

WebMD News from HealthDay

SOURCE: Umea University, news release

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Men More Prone to Severe Psoriasis: Study - WebMD

Psoriasis and skin cancer – ModernMedicine

Dr. Lebwohl

Certain psoriasis therapies contribute to the development of skin cancers, while other treatments protect against skin cancers, and still others have not been shown to increase or reduce skin cancers.

Since the description of psoriasis, it has been known that sun exposure makes the disease better, but it also causes skin cancers, says Mark Lebwohl, M.D., a professor and chair of the Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

In an interview with Dermatology Times, following his presentation on psoriasis at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) annual meeting in March, Dr. Lebwohl also notes that when broadband ultraviolet (UV) phototherapy was introduced, by chance, it omitted most wavelengths under 300 nm, which happen to be the wavelengths that are the most carcinogenic.

A 25-year review published in the Archives of Dermatology in 1981 reported no increase in skin cancers among patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis who were treated with broadband UVB phototherapy.

You would expect narrowband UVB would be even safer that broadband, Dr. Lebwohl says. At least so far, it appears that narrowband UVB does not contribute to skin cancer. Nonetheless, in patients who are cancer-prone, we are cautious about the use of phototherapy.

On the other hand, PUVA (photochemotherapy) causes a dramatic increase in squamous cell carcinomas, and after many years, an increase in malignant melanomas.

Oral therapies

The oral therapy first used for psoriasis was methotrexate.

Now that we have access to registry data, it appears that the drug does cause an increase in skin cancers, specifically squamous cell carcinoma, Dr. Lebwohl says.

The transplant drug cyclosporine, which was subsequently introduced for the treatment of psoriasis, definitely causes an increase in skin cancers, Dr. Lebwohl adds.

An Australian study published in the journal Transplantation in 1996 found that among kidney transplant patients treated with cyclosporine, the most common cause of death was metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

For transplant candidates who stay on cyclosporine, the frequency of skin cancers keeps rising year after year, Dr. Lebwohl says. In fact, in patients who have been on immunosuppressive transplant medication for 20 years, the frequency of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin approaches 50%.

The next drug introduced to treat psoriasis was the precursor to acitretin, called etretinate.

That drug has actually been shown to be clearly protective against the development of skin cancers, Dr. Lebwohl conveys. Thus, in a patient prone to acquiring basal cells and squamous cells, taking acitretin results in many fewer skin cancers. But once the patient stops taking the retinoid, the skin cancer count rebounds.

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Psoriasis and skin cancer - ModernMedicine

Is It Possible to Have Psoriatic Arthritis Without Psoriasis? – Health.com

Experts in the field of psoriatic arthritis have long faced a chicken-and-egg question: Can you have psoriatic arthritis without havingpsoriasisfirst?Some say yes. Some say no. Others say yes and no.

"There is a lot of debate going on," says Ted Mikuls, MD, professor of internal medicine in the division of rheumatology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

Like psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, meaning the immune systemattacks a part of the body. With psoriasis, the immune system attacks the skin (leading to telltaleraised red or silvery patches), while psoriatic arthritis attacks the joints (causing stiffness, pain, and swelling).About 80-85% of people who develop psoriatic arthritis have psoriasis first, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. For the remaining 15-20%,arthritis precedes the skin condition.

"It is much, much more common to have the psoriasis first," says Marcy OKoon Moss, senior director for consumer health at the Arthritis Foundation in Atlanta.

But the question remains: If a patient first experiencesjoint symptoms of psoriatic arthritis, does that mean they don'thave psoriasisor just that their psoriasishasnt been detected yet?

RELATED: The 5 Types of Psoriatic Arthritis You Need to Know About

Certainly it is at least partly a detection issue, says Dr.Mikuls. Existing psoriasis might be largely invisible, such as hiding in your belly buttonor behind your ears. "Skin psoriasis can be very, very subtle and appear in places we dont look at closely," hesays.

But you alsocant rule out the possibility that psoriatic arthritis can occur without psoriasis, he adds. You dont need to have been diagnosed with skin psoriasis to receive a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis. Doctors can make a diagnosis based on a family history or personal history (such as if you had psoriasis but its cleared up), says OKoon Moss.It can also go the other way: A 2015 study found that 10-15% of people with psoriasis had psoriatic arthritis that simply had not been detected.

Another thing to consider is that people who have both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis dont necessarily have the same degree of symptoms; their psoriasis can be mild while their arthritis is bad, or vice versa. "There can be a real disconnect between the severity of your skin involvement and your arthritis," says Dr. Mikuls.

Clearly, more research is needed on this topic to be able to fully understand whether or not you can have psoriatic arthritis without any psoriasis. But Dr. Mikuls stresses the importance of speaking to your doctor if you're experiencing symptoms of either condition, since getting a correct diagnosis is critical for your treatment.A few years ago, he explains, a 100%-accurate diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis may not have mattered quite so much. Today, though, it's very important."In the past, we would have said treatments [for different types of arthritis] overlap," he explains. "But more and more were learning that [treatments] really are uniquely different in many ways."

Take DMARDs (disease modifying antirheumatic drugs), for example. Dr. Mikuls explains that they were an earlier psoriatic arthritis treatment that might also work for other forms of arthritis. But newer psoriatic arthritis treatments, like biologics, may work for psoriatic arthritis but not other forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

And not all cases of psoriatic arthritis are the same, nor do all treatments work the same way for everyone. "The lesson learned in rheumatology is that patients dont always present the same way," says Dr. Mikuls.

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Is It Possible to Have Psoriatic Arthritis Without Psoriasis? - Health.com

Updates in Psoriasis Treatment: New Data from Vienna – Healio

Updates in Psoriasis Treatment: New Data from Vienna
Healio
Plaque psoriasis is a debilitating, noncurable autoimmune disorder, having a significant impact on quality of life, associated with depression, anxiety, social isolation, unemployment, and suicide. Various therapies, such as topical formulations and ...

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Updates in Psoriasis Treatment: New Data from Vienna - Healio

In psoriasis, report shows Taltz closing in on Cosentyx – The Pharma Letter (registration)

Two independent surveys of 200 rheumatologists and dermatologists have unveiled recent developments

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In psoriasis, report shows Taltz closing in on Cosentyx - The Pharma Letter (registration)

Tapinarof cream shows efficacy in treating plaque psoriasis – Healio

Tapinarof cream shows efficacy in treating plaque psoriasis
Healio
Tapinarof nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory topical cream, applied once or twice daily, showed efficacy in treating mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis, according to late-breaking research presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting in ...

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Tapinarof cream shows efficacy in treating plaque psoriasis - Healio

Brodalumab approved for psoriasis – ModernMedicine

The FDA has approved anti-interleukin-17 receptor monoclonal antibody brodalumab (Siliq, Valeant Pharmaceuticals) to treat adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

The injectable systemic therapy blocks the receptor for IL-17, so it has a mechanism of action similar to approved biologics secukinumab (Cosentyx, Novartis) and ixekizumab (Taltz, Eli Lilly), which also block the receptor for IL-17, according to Mark Lebwohl, M.D., professor and chair of dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who was involved with the clinical trials that paved the way for brodalumabs FDA approval.

Dr. LebwohlBrodalumab is as effective or more effective than any other FDA-approved drug to treat psoriasis, according to Dr. Lebwohl, who was lead author on the New England Journal of Medicine paper examining phase 3 studies comparing brodalumab with ustekinumab (Stelara, Janssen), for psoriasis.1

In its phase 2 data, it (brodalumab) was the most effective drug that we had ever seen. Nearly two-thirds of plaque psoriasis patients achieved (psoriasis area-and-severity index) PASI 100. Thats a number weve never seentwo-thirds of people not having a dot of psoriasis left, Dr. Lebwohl says.

Phase 3 studies PASI 100 percentages were lower, but still unprecedented, according to Dr. Lebwohl.

Researchers reported in the NEJM that PASI 75 response rates at week 12 were 86% with the 210-mg brodalumab dose and 67% with 140-mg of the biologic, versus 6% in the placebo group. In two other studies, from 44 to 37% of psoriasis patients on 210 mg of brodalumab achieved PASI 100 at 12 weeks, versus 22 to 19% of patients on ustekinumab. The approved dose is 210 mg.

Suicide a concern for FDA

The downside, which will appear in the label, is that there were a small number of suicides. In the psoriasis trials, there were four (suicides) out of 4,000 treated patients. In all the trials, there were six (suicides) out of 6,000 treated patients. Although it is not clear that the suicides had anything to do with the drug, that raised an alarm at the FDA, and they put it into the package insert, Dr. Lebwohl says.

Concerns about suicide helped to make brodalumabs road to approval a rocky one. In January 2016, the National Psoriasis Foundation published an article that Amgen, which along with AstraZeneca had been developing brodalumab, stopped developing the biologic because of suicidal thought and behavior concerns during clinical trials. AstraZeneca later auctioned off brodalumab to Valeant.

According to FDA, subjects in the trials were more likely to think about suicide or commit suicide if they had a history of suicidality or depression. But a causal association between treatment with brodalumab and increased suicidal ideation and behavior risks has not been established.

Dr. Lebwohl says he is familiar with each of the patients who committed suicide during the psoriasis trials and thinks it was more bad luck than a pattern in treated patients. But because of the black box warning, dermatologists and other prescribers need to counsel patients about the potential risk, he says.

I, interestingly, have a patient who I have taken care of for many years and has failed every treatment out there. I actually hospitalized her in 2002 because I was worried she was going to commit suicide, Dr. Lebwohl says. This is the first drug after all those years that was able to clear her completely. Since the trials ended, she has been on the other IL-17 drugs with either a minor or moderate response. So, shes waiting to get back on this when it comes out.

Siliq should be available to patients in the second quarter of 2017, he says.

Disclosure: Dr. Lebwohl has been an investigator for the makers of brodalumab.

1 Lebwohl M, Strober B, Menter Alan, Gordon K, Weglowska J, Puig L, et al. Phase 3 Studies Comparing Brodalumab with Ustekinumab in Psoriasis. N Engl J Med 2015; 373:1318-1328

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Brodalumab approved for psoriasis - ModernMedicine

Results of Johnson & Johnson’s Psoriasis Clinical Trials Impressive – Yahoo Finance

- By Alberto Abaterusso

Janssen Research & Development LLC, part of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) Pharmaceutical Research and Development, reported last March 3 through the PRNewswire the results from two Phase 3 clinical trials, VOYAGE 2 and NAVIGATE.

During the studies the pharmaceutical company assessed its guselkumab for the treatment of adult patients affected by severe plaque psoriasis.

The patients treated with Janssen Research & Development's guselkumab achieved meaningful improvement in terms of skin clearance and other disease activity's measures versus the placebo and AbbVie's (ABBV) Humira (adalimumab).

At the end of the VOYAGE 2 clinical trial, in 84.1% of patients affected with severe plaque psoriasis and treated with Janssen Research & Development's guselkumab, a clear or minimal disease at week 16 was observed versus 8.5% of patients under placebo and versus 67.7% of patients taking Humira.

During the NAVIGATE clinical trial, the patients experienced a significantly greater improvement in skin clearance. These patients failed to respond adequately to an IL-12/23 monoclonal antibody (Stelara) and switched to guselkumab.

Results from VOYAGE 2 and NAVIGATE trials were presented at the 2017 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, from March 3 to March 7.

The company says that "guselkumab is a human monoclonal antibody with a novel mechanism of action that specifically targets the protein interleukin (IL)-23 and is currently under review by health authorities in the U.S. and in Europe as a subcutaneously administered therapy for the treatment of adults living with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis."

Johnson & Johnson was trading at $123.61 per share Wednesday, down 22 cents or 0.19% from the previous trading day.

The 52-week range is between $106.07 and $126.07. The forward price-earnings (P/E) ratio is 16.79, and the stock is trading at 4.69 times its sales computed over the 12 trailing months period, at 4.64 times the book value and 13.01 times the EBITDA.

The stock is less volatile than the stock market with a beta of 0.68. It is uptrending and gained 7.48%.

As of Dec. 31, 2016, the company has $41.91 billion in cash on hand and securities and the total debt amounts to $27.13 billion, of which 82.6% is the portion of long-term debt.

The total debt to equity ratio is 38.52 versus an industry average of 11.52. The company is more indebted than its peers, but the interest coverage ratio is 50.53. This means that the company can easily pay interest expenses on the outstanding debt.

Over the 12 trailing months time frame the company generated cash flow of $18.77 billion from its operations.

The free cash flow was $15.54 billion and part of this has been used to distribute dividends to the shareholders. Johnson & Johnson pays a quarterly dividend of 80 cents per share that leads to an annual dividend of $3.20 for a dividend yield of 2.59%.

The company has approximately 2.71 billion shares outstanding of which 0.02% is held by insiders and 67.30% by institutions.

Among the top institutional holders, the Vanguard Group Inc. stands out with 191,188,744 shares of Johnson & Johnson, or 7.03% of the company's total shares outstanding, valued $22.03 billion at Dec. 31, 2016.

AbbVie is trading at $64.12 per share, up 43 cents or plus 0.68% from the previous trading day.

Disclosure: I have no positions in any stock mentioned in this article.

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Results of Johnson & Johnson's Psoriasis Clinical Trials Impressive - Yahoo Finance

VIDEO: Treating psoriasis and melasma in skin of color – Healio

VIDEO: Treating psoriasis and melasma in skin of color
Healio
ORLANDO, Fla. In a video perspective from the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD, discusses talks he gave on treating psoriasis, melasma and other pigmentation disorders in skin of color. Desai, a clinical ...

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VIDEO: Treating psoriasis and melasma in skin of color - Healio

Psoriatic Arthritis Risk Increased by Depression Among Patients With Psoriasis – Clinical Pain Advisor (registration)


Clinical Pain Advisor (registration)
Psoriatic Arthritis Risk Increased by Depression Among Patients With Psoriasis
Clinical Pain Advisor (registration)
Researchers from Canada have demonstrated that depression is a significant risk factor for progression from psoriasis to psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Led by Ryan Lewinson, MD, PhD, from the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, Alberta ...

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Psoriatic Arthritis Risk Increased by Depression Among Patients With Psoriasis - Clinical Pain Advisor (registration)

Celgene’s Otezla successful in late-stage study in expanded psoriasis population – Seeking Alpha

Results from a Phase 4 clinical trial, UNVEIL. evaluating Celgene's (CELG -0.6%) Otezla (apremilast) in patients with moderate plaque psoriasis with a body surface area of 5 - 10% showed a significant treatment benefit compared to placebo. The results were presented at the American Academy of Dermatology's Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL.

UNVEIL evaluated oral OTEZLA (30 mg twice daily) compared to placebo at week 16 in 221 subjects with moderate plaque psoriasis who had not been treated with systemic or biologic therapy. At baseline, 80% (n=177) had received topical therapy. The primary endpoint was the mean percent change from baseline in the product of PGA and BSA scores (two measures of psoriasis severity) at week 16.

The mean changes for the Otezla and placebo cohorts were -48.1% and -10.2%, respectively (p<0.0001). The proportions of patients who achieved at least a 75% improvement in symptoms were 35.1% and 12.3%, respectively (p<0.0001). The proportions of patients who achieved clear or almost clear skin were 30.4% and 9.6%, respectively (p<0.0001).

The most common treatment-relate adverse events were diarrhea (29%), headache (20%), nausea (18%), upper respiratory tract infection (7%) and vomiting (6%).

Otezla is currently approved to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

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Celgene's Otezla successful in late-stage study in expanded psoriasis population - Seeking Alpha

Secukinumab Efficacy Examined Following Psoriasis Relapse After Treatment Pause – Monthly Prescribing Reference (registration)


CNA Finance (press release)
Secukinumab Efficacy Examined Following Psoriasis Relapse After Treatment Pause
Monthly Prescribing Reference (registration)
Patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis rapidly regained clear or almost clear skin, as adjudged by the Psoriasis Area Severity Index, after treatment with secukinumab (Cosentyx; Novartis) following relapse during a treatment pause. The new ...
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Secukinumab Efficacy Examined Following Psoriasis Relapse After Treatment Pause - Monthly Prescribing Reference (registration)

New psoriasis treatments focus of AAD late-breaking research session – Healio

New psoriasis treatments focus of AAD late-breaking research session
Healio
The [psoriasis] treatments continue to get better over time, Joel M. Gelfand, MD, MSCE, FAAD, associate professor of dermatology and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania, who was the session co-moderator, told Healio.com/Dermatology.

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New psoriasis treatments focus of AAD late-breaking research session - Healio

Cimzia demonstrates efficacy at 16 weeks as psoriasis treatment – Healio

Cimzia demonstrates efficacy at 16 weeks as psoriasis treatment
Healio
ORLANDO, Fla. Patients treated with Cimzia reported statistically significant improvement in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis at 16 weeks, according to research presented at a late-breaking research forum of the American Academy of Dermatology ...

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Cimzia demonstrates efficacy at 16 weeks as psoriasis treatment - Healio

New CIMZIA (certolizumab pegol) data in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis presented at … – EconoTimes

New CIMZIA (certolizumab pegol) data in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis presented at American Academy of Dermatology 2017 Annual Meeting

ORLANDO, Fla., March 04, 2017 -- UCB (Euronext:UCB) and Dermira, Inc. (NASDAQ:DERM) today announced 16-week, investigational results from the CIMPASI-1 and CIMPASI-2 Phase 3 trials at the 75th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) in Orlando, Florida.1 Results from the trials showed that CIMZIA (certolizumab pegol) demonstrated significant improvements in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis versus placebo. In addition to previously reported co-primary endpoints, new data presented in an oral presentation at AAD showed the percentage of patients who achieved 90% or greater disease improvement from baseline, as measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 90). Additionally, data analyses from the RAPID-PsA Phase 3 study were presented evaluating the long-term effect of CIMZIA in adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

The 16-week primary results from CIMPASI-1 and CIMPASI-2 showed that treatment with CIMZIA provided significant benefit to patients living with chronic plaque psoriasis, which is important given that the disease is historically difficult to treat and therefore requires multiple treatment options, said Alice Gottlieb, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, New York Medical College, at Metropolitan Hospital and lead presenter of the data.

The CIMPASI-1 and CIMPASI-2 clinical results presented today support our belief that CIMZIA may one day benefit people living with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, said Luis Pea, chief development officer at Dermira. We are committed to providing patients with access to a new treatment option for psoriasis that may also one day contribute to improvements in their overall quality of life.

Were pleased to present the clinical results from CIMPASI-1, CIMPASI-2, and RAPID-PsA at AAD this year, said Emmanuel Caeymaex, Head of Immunology and Executive Vice President at UCB, Immunology Patient Value Unit, UCB. At UCB, we are driven foremost by providing value to patients, and these results demonstrate the breadth of our immunology portfolio for people living with plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Dermira to bring CIMZIA to these patients."

The results of the initial 16-week treatment period of CIMPASI-1 and CIMPASI-2 offer important insights for the potential use and the value of CIMZIA in adult patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Researchers reported that CIMZIA showed clinically meaningful improvements in the PGA, PASI 75 and PASI 90 endpoints at week 16 compared to placebo at both treatment doses (400mg, 200mg).

Topline results from CIMPASI-1 and CIMPASI-2 were previously announced. The identically designed trials evaluated the percentage of patients who achieved a 75% or greater disease improvement from baseline as measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75), as well as the percentage of patients achieving at least a two-point improvement on a five-point Physicians Global Assessment (PGA) scale to a final score representing clear or almost clear skin, each compared with placebo, at week 16.2

Researchers reported that the most frequent adverse events (AEs) in CIMPASI-1 and CIMPASI-2 through week 16 were upper respiratory tract infections, and serious AEs were infrequent. The adverse event profile across both trials appeared consistent with the adverse event profiles observed with CIMZIA in other indications.2 CIMZIA is not currently approved for the treatment of psoriasis by any regulatory authority worldwide.

CIMPASI-1 16-week Results1

CIMPASI-2 16-week Results1

Additional data reported from a key secondary endpoint also found that patients receiving the 400mg and 200 mg dose reported significant improvements in their quality of life compared to patients who received placebo only. CIMZIA showed a mean improvement from baseline in the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score compared to placebo, at both doses in both the CIMPASI-1 (decrease of 10.2 at 400 mg and 9.3 at 200 mg vs. 3.3; p<0.001) and CIMPASI-2 (decrease of 10.0 at 400 mg and 10.4 at 200 mg vs. 3.8; p<0.001) clinical trials, at week 16.

A decrease in a patients DLQI score translates to overall improved satisfaction in the management of their skin condition. DLQI is a widely used and recognized quality of life measurement instrument frequently used across many dermatologic conditions.

RAPID-PsA Results3,4,5

Additionally, three post-hoc data analyses from the RAPID-PsA four-year open label extension study were presented, providing insight into the long-term impact of CIMZIA on psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients. RAPID-PsA is a Phase 3, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CIMZIA. The results of RAPID-PsA were:

About Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a common, chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disorder with primary involvement of the skin. It affects nearly three percent of the worlds population, or approximately 125 million people worldwide. The skin condition affects men and women of all ages and ethnicities. Psoriasis signs and symptoms can vary, but may include red patches of skin covered with silvery scales, dry, cracked skin that may bleed and thickened, pitted or ridged nails.6

About Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a condition involving joint inflammation (arthritis) that usually occurs in combination with a skin disorder called psoriasis. Signs and symptoms of PsA include stiff, painful joints with warmth and swelling in the joints and surrounding tissues. In most people with PsA, psoriasis appears before joint problems develop. In some cases, psoriatic arthritis develops prior to the skin changes. Left untreated PsA can be a disabling disease. PsA affects an estimated 3.4 to 8 per 100,000 people. Between 6 and 42 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis. Psoriasis affects nearly three percent of the worlds population, or approximately 125 million people worldwide.7,8

About Cimzia In the US Cimzia is the only Fc-free, PEGylated anti-TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor). Cimzia has a high affinity for human TNF-alpha, selectively neutralizing the pathophysiological effects of TNF-alpha.

Cimzia is indicated for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis, adults with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and adults with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). In addition, it is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms of Crohn's disease and maintaining clinical response in adult patients with moderately to severely active disease who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy. See important safety information including risk of serious bacterial, viral and fungal infections and tuberculosis below.

Important Safety Information about Cimzia in the US

Risk of Serious Infections and Malignancy

Patients treated with Cimzia are at an increased risk for developing serious infections that may lead to hospitalization or death. Most patients who developed these infections were taking concomitant immunosuppressants such as methotrexate or corticosteroids. Cimzia should be discontinued if a patient develops a serious infection or sepsis. Reported infections include:

The risks and benefits of treatment with Cimzia should be carefully considered prior to initiating therapy in patients with chronic or recurrent infection. Patients should be closely monitored for the development of signs and symptoms of infection during and after treatment with Cimzia, including the possible development of tuberculosis in patients who tested negative for latent tuberculosis infection prior to initiating therapy.

Lymphoma and other malignancies, some fatal, have been reported in children and adolescent patients treated with TNF blockers, of which Cimzia is a member. Cimzia is not indicated for use in pediatric patients.

Patients treated with Cimzia are at an increased risk for developing serious infections involving various organ systems and sites that may lead to hospitalization or death. Opportunistic infections due to bacterial, mycobacterial, invasive fungal, viral, parasitic, or other opportunistic pathogens including aspergillosis, blastomycosis, candidiasis, coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, legionellosis, listeriosis, pneumocystosis and tuberculosis have been reported with TNF blockers. Patients have frequently presented with disseminated rather than localized disease.

Treatment with Cimzia should not be initiated in patients with an active infection, including clinically important localized infections. Cimzia should be discontinued if a patient develops a serious infection or sepsis. Patients greater than 65 years of age, patients with co-morbid conditions, and/or patients taking concomitant immunosuppressants (e.g., corticosteroids or methotrexate) may be at a greater risk of infection. Patients who develop a new infection during treatment with Cimzia should be closely monitored, undergo a prompt and complete diagnostic workup appropriate for immunocompromised patients, and appropriate antimicrobial therapy should be initiated. Appropriate empiric antifungal therapy should also be considered while a diagnostic workup is performed for patients who develop a serious systemic illness and reside or travel in regions where mycoses are endemic.

Malignancies

During controlled and open-labeled portions of Cimzia studies of Crohns disease and other diseases, malignancies (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) were observed at a rate of 0.5 per 100 patient-years among 4,650 Cimzia-treated patients versus a rate of 0.6 per 100 patient-years among 1,319 placebo-treated patients. In studies of Cimzia for Crohns disease and other investigational uses, there was one case of lymphoma among 2,657 Cimzia-treated patients and one case of Hodgkin lymphoma among 1,319 placebo-treated patients. In Cimzia RA clinical trials (placebo-controlled and open label), a total of three cases of lymphoma were observed among 2,367 patients. This is approximately 2-fold higher than expected in the general population. Patients with RA, particularly those with highly active disease, are at a higher risk for the development of lymphoma. The potential role of TNF blocker therapy in the development of malignancies is not known.

Malignancies, some fatal, have been reported among children, adolescents, and young adults who received treatment with TNF-blocking agents (initiation of therapy 18 years of age), of which Cimzia is a member. Approximately half of the cases were lymphoma (including Hodgkins and non-Hodgkins lymphoma), while the other cases represented a variety of different malignancies and included rare malignancies associated with immunosuppression and malignancies not usually observed in children and adolescents. Most of the patients were receiving concomitant immunosuppressants.

Cases of acute and chronic leukemia have been reported with TNF-blocker use. Even in the absence of TNF-blocker therapy, patients with RA may be at a higher risk (approximately 2-fold) than the general population for developing leukemia.

Postmarketing cases of hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL), a rare type of T-cell lymphoma that has a very aggressive disease course and is usually fatal, have been reported in patients treated with TNF blockers, including Cimzia. The majority of reported TNF blocker cases occurred in adolescent and young adult males with Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis. Almost all of these patients had received treatment with the immunosuppressants azathioprine and/or 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) concomitantly with a TNF blocker at or prior to diagnosis. Carefully assess the risks and benefits of treatment with Cimzia, especially in these patient types.

Melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma have been reported in patients treated with TNF-antagonists, including Cimzia. Periodic skin examinations are recommended for all patients, particularly those with risk factors for skin cancer.

Heart Failure

Cases of worsening congestive heart failure (CHF) and new onset CHF have been reported with TNF blockers. Cimzia has not been formally studied in patients with CHF. Exercise caution when using Cimzia in patients who have heart failure and monitor them carefully.

Hypersensitivity

Symptoms compatible with hypersensitivity reactions, including angioedema, dyspnea, hypotension, rash, serum sickness, and urticaria, have been reported rarely following Cimzia administration. Some of these reactions occurred after the first administration of Cimzia. If such reactions occur, discontinue further administration of Cimzia and institute appropriate therapy.

Hepatitis B Reactivation

Use of TNF blockers, including Cimzia, has been associated with reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in patients who are chronic carriers of this virus. Some cases have been fatal. Test patients for HBV infection before initiating treatment with Cimzia. Exercise caution in prescribing Cimzia for patients identified as carriers of HBV, with careful evaluation and monitoring prior to and during treatment. In patients who develop HBV reactivation, discontinue Cimzia and initiate effective anti-viral therapy with appropriate supportive treatment.

Neurologic Reactions

Use of TNF blockers, including Cimzia, has been associated with rare cases of new onset or exacerbation of clinical symptoms and/or radiographic evidence of central nervous system demyelinating disease, including multiple sclerosis, and with peripheral demyelinating disease, including Guillain-Barr syndrome. Rare cases of neurological disorders, including seizure disorder, optic neuritis, and peripheral neuropathy have been reported in patients treated with Cimzia. Exercise caution in considering the use of Cimzia in patients with these disorders.

Hematologic Reactions

Rare reports of pancytopenia, including aplastic anemia, have been reported with TNF blockers. Medically significant cytopenia (e.g., leukopenia, pancytopenia, thrombocytopenia) has been infrequently reported with Cimzia. Advise all patients to seek immediate medical attention if they develop signs and symptoms suggestive of blood dyscrasias or infection (e.g., persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, pallor) while on Cimzia. Consider discontinuation of Cimzia therapy in patients with confirmed significant hematologic abnormalities.

Drug Interactions

An increased risk of serious infections has been seen in clinical trials of other TNF blocking agents used in combination with anakinra or abatacept. Formal drug interaction studies have not been performed with rituximab or natalizumab; however, because of the nature of the adverse events seen with these combinations with TNF blocker therapy, similar toxicities may also result from the use of Cimzia in these combinations. Therefore, the combination of Cimzia with anakinra, abatacept, rituximab, or natalizumab is not recommended. Interference with certain coagulation assays has been detected in patients treated with Cimzia. There is no evidence that Cimzia therapy has an effect on in vivo coagulation. Cimzia may cause erroneously elevated aPTT assay results in patients without coagulation abnormalities.

Autoimmunity

Treatment with Cimzia may result in the formation of autoantibodies and, rarely, in the development of a lupus-like syndrome. Discontinue treatment if symptoms of lupus-like syndrome develop.

Immunizations

Do not administer live vaccines or live-attenuated vaccines concurrently with Cimzia.

Adverse Reactions

In controlled Crohns clinical trials, the most common adverse events that occurred in 5% of Cimzia patients (n=620) and more frequently than with placebo (n=614) were upper respiratory infection (20% Cimzia, 13% placebo), urinary tract infection (7% Cimzia, 6% placebo), and arthralgia (6% Cimzia, 4% placebo). The proportion of patients who discontinued treatment due to adverse reactions in the controlled clinical studies was 8% for Cimzia and 7% for placebo.

In controlled RA clinical trials, the most common adverse events that occurred in 3% of patients taking Cimzia 200 mg every other week with concomitant methotrexate (n=640) and more frequently than with placebo with concomitant methotrexate (n=324) were upper respiratory tract infection (6% Cimzia, 2% placebo), headache (5% Cimzia, 4% placebo), hypertension (5% Cimzia, 2% placebo), nasopharyngitis (5% Cimzia, 1% placebo), back pain (4% Cimzia, 1% placebo), pyrexia (3% Cimzia, 2% placebo), pharyngitis (3% Cimzia, 1% placebo), rash (3% Cimzia, 1% placebo), acute bronchitis (3% Cimzia, 1% placebo), fatigue (3% Cimzia, 2% placebo). Hypertensive adverse reactions were observed more frequently in patients receiving Cimzia than in controls. These adverse reactions occurred more frequently among patients with a baseline history of hypertension and among patients receiving concomitant corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Patients receiving Cimzia 400 mg as monotherapy every 4 weeks in RA controlled clinical trials had similar adverse reactions to those patients receiving Cimzia 200 mg every other week. The proportion of patients who discontinued treatment due to adverse reactions in the controlled clinical studies was 5% for Cimzia and 2.5% for placebo.

The safety profile for patients with Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) treated with CIMZIA was similar to the safety profile seen in patients with RA and previous experience with Cimzia.

The safety profile for AS patients treated with Cimzia was similar to the safety profile seen in patients with RA.

For full prescribing information, please visit http://www.ucb.com

CIMZIA is a registered trademark of the UCB Group of Companies.

About Cimzia in the EU/EEA In the EU, Cimzia in combination with methotrexate (MTX) is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe active RA in adult patients inadequately responsive to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) including MTX.

Cimzia can be given as monotherapy in case of intolerance to MTX or when continued treatment with MTX is inappropriate. CIMZIA in combination with MTX is also indicated for the treatment of severe, active and progressive RA in adults not previously treated with MTX or other DMARDs.

Cimzia has been shown to reduce the rate of progression of joint damage as measured by X-ray and to improve physical function, when given in combination with MTX.

Cimzia, in combination with MTX, is also indicated for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis in adults when the response to previous DMARD therapy has been inadequate. Cimzia can be given as monotherapy in case of intolerance to methotrexate or when continued treatment with methotrexate is inappropriate.

Cimzia is also indicated in the EU for the treatment of adult patients with severe active axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), comprising:

Important Safety Information about Cimzia in the EU/EEA Cimzia was studied in 4,049 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in controlled and open label trials for up to 92 months. The commonly reported adverse reactions (1-10%) in clinical trials with Cimzia and post-marketing were viral infections (includes herpes, papillomavirus, influenza), bacterial infections (including abscess), rash, headache (including migraine), asthaenia, leukopaenia (including lymphopaenia, neutropaenia), eosinophilic disorder, pain (any sites), pyrexia, sensory abnormalities, hypertension, pruritus (any sites), hepatitis (including hepatic enzyme increase), injection site reactions, and nausea. Serious adverse reactions include sepsis, opportunistic infections, tuberculosis, herpes zoster, lymphoma, leukaemia, solid organ tumours, angioneurotic oedema, cardiomyopathies (includes heart failure), ischemic coronary artery disorders, pancytopaenia, hypercoagulation (including thrombophlebitis, pulmonary embolism), cerebrovascular accident, vasculitis, hepatitis/hepatopathy (includes cirrhosis), and renal impairment/nephropathy (includes nephritis). In RA controlled clinical trials, 4.4% of patients discontinued taking Cimzia due to adverse events vs. 2.7% for placebo.

Cimzia is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to the active substance or any of the excipients, active tuberculosis or other severe infections such as sepsis or opportunistic infections or moderate-to-severe heart failure.

Serious infections including sepsis, tuberculosis and opportunistic infections have been reported in patients receiving Cimzia. Some of these events have been fatal. Monitor patients closely for signs and symptoms of infections including tuberculosis before, during and after treatment with Cimzia. Treatment with Cimzia must not be initiated in patients with a clinically important active infection. If an infection develops, monitor carefully and stop Cimzia if infection becomes serious. Before initiation of therapy with Cimzia, all patients must be evaluated for both active and inactive (latent) tuberculosis infection. If active tuberculosis is diagnosed prior to or during treatment, Cimzia therapy must not be initiated and must be discontinued. If latent tuberculosis is diagnosed, appropriate anti-tuberculosis therapy must be started before initiating treatment with Cimzia. Patients should be instructed to seek medical advice if signs/symptoms (e.g. persistent cough, wasting/weight loss, low grade fever, listlessness) suggestive of tuberculosis occur during or after therapy with Cimzia.

Reactivation of hepatitis B has occurred in patients receiving a TNF-antagonist including Cimzia who are chronic carriers of the virus (i.e. surface antigen positive). Some cases have had a fatal outcome. Patients should be tested for HBV infection before initiating treatment with Cimzia. Carriers of HBV who require treatment with Cimzia should be closely monitored and in the case of HBV reactivation Cimzia should be stopped and effective anti-viral therapy with appropriate supportive treatment should be initiated.

TNF antagonists including Cimzia may increase the risk of new onset or exacerbation of clinical symptoms and/or radiographic evidence of demyelinating disease; of formation of autoantibodies and uncommonly of the development of a lupus-like syndrome; of severe hypersensitivity reactions. If a patient develops any of these adverse reactions, Cimzia should be discontinued and appropriate therapy instituted.

With the current knowledge, a possible risk for the development of lymphomas, leukaemia or other malignancies in patients treated with a TNF antagonist cannot be excluded. Rare cases of neurological disorders, including seizure disorder, neuritis and peripheral neuropathy, have been reported in patients treated with Cimzia.

Adverse reactions of the hematologic system, including medically significant cytopaenia, have been infrequently reported with Cimzia. Advise all patients to seek immediate medical attention if they develop signs and symptoms suggestive of blood dyscrasias or infection (e.g., persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, pallor) while on Cimzia. Consider discontinuation of Cimzia therapy in patients with confirmed significant haematological abnormalities.

The use of Cimzia in combination with anakinra or abatacept is not recommended due to a potential increased risk of serious infections. As no data are available, Cimzia should not be administered concurrently with live vaccines. The 14-day half-life of Cimzia should be taken into consideration if a surgical procedure is planned. A patient who requires surgery while on CIMZIA should be closely monitored for infections.

Cimzia was studied in 325patients with active axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in a placebo-controlled clinical trial for up to 30months and in 409patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in a placebo-controlled clinical trial for up to 30months. The safety profile for axSpA and PsA patients treated with Cimzia was consistent with the safety profile in RA and previous experience with Cimzia.

Please consult the full prescribing information in relation to other side effects, full safety and prescribing information. European SmPC date of revision 15th December 2016. http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/EPAR_-_Product_Information/human/001037/WC500069763.pdf

REFERENCES

About Dermira

Dermira is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing biotech ingenuity to medical dermatology by delivering differentiated, new therapies to the millions of patients living with chronic skin conditions. Dermira is committed to understanding the needs of both patients and physicians and using its insight to identify and develop leading-edge medical dermatology programs. Dermiras product pipeline includes three Phase 3 product candidates that could have a profound impact on the lives of patients: glycopyrronium tosylate (formerly DRM04), in development for the treatment of primary axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive underarm sweating); CIMZIA (certolizumab pegol), in development in collaboration with UCB Pharma S.A. for the treatment of moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis; and olumacostat glasaretil, in development for the treatment of acne vulgaris. Dermira is headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif. For more information, please visit http://www.dermira.com.

In addition to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), press releases, public conference calls and webcasts, Dermira uses its website (www.dermira.com) and LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/dermira-inc-) as channels of distribution of information about its company, product candidates, planned financial and other announcements, attendance at upcoming investor and industry conferences and other matters. Such information may be deemed material information and Dermira may use these channels to comply with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Therefore, investors should monitor Dermiras website and LinkedIn page in addition to following its SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts.

About UCB UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With more than 7 700 people in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of 3.9 billion in 2015. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on Twitter: @UCB_news

Dermira Forward-Looking Statements The information in this press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including the statements that CIMZIA one day benefit patients living with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and contribute to improvements in their overall quality of life. These statements deal with future events and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties such as those relating to the design, implementation and outcomes of Dermiras clinical trials; the outcome of future discussions with regulatory authorities relating to the CIMZIA clinical program; Dermiras dependence on third-party clinical research organizations, manufacturers and suppliers; and Dermiras ability to continue to stay in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. You should refer to the section entitled Risk Factors set forth in Dermiras Annual Report on Form 10-K, Dermiras Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filingsDermiramakes with theSEC from time to time for a discussion of important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by Dermiras forward-looking statements. Furthermore, such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Dermira undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements or reasons why actual results might differ, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

UCB Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial information, expected legal, political, regulatory or clinical results and other such estimates and results. By their nature, such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions which could cause actual results to differ materially from those that may be implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Important factors that could result in such differences include: changes in general economic, business and competitive conditions, the inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or to obtain them on acceptable terms, costs associated with research and development, changes in the prospects for products in the pipeline or under development by UCB, effects of future judicial decisions or governmental investigations, product liability claims, challenges to patent protection for products or product candidates, changes in laws or regulations, exchange rate fluctuations, changes or uncertainties in tax laws or the administration of such laws and hiring and retention of its employees. UCB is providing this information as of the date of this press release and expressly disclaims any duty to update any information contained in this press release, either to confirm the actual results or to report a change in its expectations.

There is no guarantee that new product candidates in the pipeline will progress to product approval or that new indications for existing products will be developed and approved. Products or potential products which are the subject of partnerships, joint ventures or licensing collaborations may be subject to differences between the partners. Also, UCB or others could discover safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with its products after they are marketed. Moreover, sales may be impacted by international and domestic trends toward managed care and health care cost containment and the reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers as well as legislation affecting biopharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement.

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New CIMZIA (certolizumab pegol) data in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis presented at ... - EconoTimes

Does Valeant have the ad dollars to keep Siliq competitive in psoriasis? – FiercePharma

Yes, Valeant has a safety warning weighing down new psoriasis med Siliq as it prepares to enter the market. But its got another issue, too: the fact that its going up against some major spenders in the field.

When it launches, Siliq will take on fellow IL-17 meds Cosentyx from Novartis and Taltz from Eli Lilly, but it will also have to contend with the anti-TNF giantsAbbVies Humira included. As Wells Fargo analyst David Maris pointed out last month in a note to clients, the Illinois pharma spent $357 million on Humira advertising in 2015 alone.

It also regularly tops pharmas TV ad spending list, shelling out $35 million in January, according to tracker iSpot.tv.

That could be a problem for a company in financial straits as dire as Valeants; the debt-laden company has been plagued by default concerns since last year, thanks to years of debt-fueled M&A dealmaking under former skipper J. Michael Pearson.

And while the company plans to keep itsSG&A spending in 2017 between $2.6 billion and $2.7 billion, its got some other key priorities this year, too: Its planning to relaunch flopped female libido drug Addyi, and its expanding its primary care sales force for lead med Xifaxan in the wake of canceled GI unit deal talks with Japans Takeda.

The financial concerns add to the safety burden Valeant is already facing with its psoriasis newcomer. The med comes along with a black-box warning on suicide risks and a substantial risk-managing program, under which physicians and pharmacies will have to be certified toprescribe and dispensethe med and patients will have to signinformed consent agreements before taking it.

All things considered, we believeSiliqis a sub-competitive drug in a competitive market that Valeant cannot afford to compete in, Maris wrote following the products February FDA approval.

Valeants management, though, thinks Siliq can stand out from the crowd based on its clinical benefits. As CEO Joseph Papa told investors on the companys Q4 conference call, Siliqunlike its IL-17 peersis a receptor-blocker, and when you can actually block the receptor, you tend to get a better, a quicker response and also a response that is more durable.

And some analysts agree. Siliqoffers differentiation on efficacy parameters relative to competitors, Barclays Doug Tsao wrote to clients, noting that though Valeant is splitting profits down the middle with developer AstraZeneca, the 90% profit margins and relatively concentrated prescriber base makeSiliqan attractive opportunity even if Valeant can get 5% to 10% market share.

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Does Valeant have the ad dollars to keep Siliq competitive in psoriasis? - FiercePharma