Hi Guys and Gals!!

I'm Krissie and am glad to be part of this forum. I've been following @psoriasisclub on twitter for a while now but never actually seem to be online on the PC much these days to get signed up to the forum etc.

I've had psoriasis for pretty much all of my life. I was diagnosed at age 4 and am now 35 so I can't really remember any life before/without the condition. Unlike many people mine did not ease off at all in my teenage years and I can say with 100% honesty that I have had a total of about 4 months completely free of the skin condition in the 31 years that I have lived with it (I've had 2 rounds of UVB therapy which cleared my skin up for 2 months each). At the moment my skin is fairly clear (as opposed to completely covered) and I am not using over 200g of Dovonex in a fortnight but I am suffering really badly with PSA.

I'm currently off work for the second time in 2 months (just went back to work 4 weeks ago after a bad spell) due to PSA affecting my hands, wrists and neck. I can't lift anything and have lost a lot of dexterity in my hands. I've spent the past 6 months chopping and changing medications. The meds tried have been Naproxen, diclofenac, celebrex, cocodamol (8mg), codydramol (16mg) and cocodamol (30mg) and I have just been prescribed Tramadol today for the pain... Zombie city here I come!!

I'm waiting for a rheumatology appointment at my local hospital, had to start again after the previous "specialist" informed me there was nothing wrong with me... I got very angry at that because I wasn't going through a flare at the time I saw him so had no physical symptoms and he had no interest in listening to the symptoms I had experienced. I'm 6 weeks into a 16 week wait for an appointment and dreading having to be signed off work until then.

Work wise I'm a microbiologist and up until recently I have been very much inclined to stay away from DMARDS due to their immunosuppresant actions.. To take these I'd have to give up work. Now though I am weighing up being in constant pain vs. changing my career and pain relief is winning.

I'm keen to offer support and a listening ear to anyone who needs it, having spent a lifetime with psoriasis I can relate to the problems faced by all ages (kids/teens/adults) and would be willing to chat to anyone about how psoriasis is affecting their lives/confidence.

At the same time I'm looking for advice and support from fellow sufferers and I'd love to hear the personal stories of your experiences with psoriasis and heath care providers.

Enough of my rambling... In advance, I'd like to say it's nice to meet you all.

Krissie

I have been given Duoderm hydrocolloid dressings to use on the soles of my feet when my thick PPP skin cracks, opens and bleeds. It works beautifully. With Duoderm on my feet I can walk happily - without it it would be just impossible. Thank you Duoderm.

The problem now is with how to get Duoderm off my favourite pair of socks . The dressing 'peeled' inside my socks when I was out walking yesterday and there'd a large gunky area that I just can't shift. It's bound to happen again. Suggestions very welcome ...

Thanks for all the welcomes you've all given me. Makes me feel a lot happier and not so isolated

First it was beer, then it was cigarettes. Finally, researchers have found a vice that's not tied to psoriasis: coffee.

In fact, when Dr. Abrar Qureshi and his team at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston first set out to study whether there was a link between the skin disease and java, they thought the anti-inflammatory properties of caffeine might actually protect against psoriasis.

That had been reported by a group of Irani researchers, who applied caffeine directly to the skin of volunteers with psoriasis and found an apparent benefit.

To see whether consumed caffeine had any influence on whether a person developed psoriasis, Qureshi and his colleagues looked at more than 82,000 participants in the Nurses' Health Study.

All of the participants had filled out questionnaires about their daily food and beverage intake in 1991 and were free of psoriasis at that point.

Over the next 14 years, nearly 1,000 people in the study developed psoriasis, the team reports in the Archives of Dermatology.

Initially, the risk did seem a bit higher among those who got a lot of caffeine in their diet, whether from coffee, tea, soft drinks or chocolate.

Earlier studies from Qureshi's team have tied psoriasis to both alcohol and tobacco, so when the researchers took the latter into account they found there was no longer any link between caffeine and skin problems.

Although the earlier research doesn't prove that either smoking or drinking causes psoriasis by itself, the findings are another good reason to cut back on unhealthy habits, Qureshi told Reuters Health.

"From a lifestyle point of view," he said, "I'd recommend exercising more, drinking less and quitting smoking."

Dr. Esther Lopez-Garcia, who was not involved in the new work but has studied the health effects of coffee, said there is good evidence that the brew -- at least when filtered -- isn't harmful for healthy people.

"There is also a growing body of evidence suggesting that coffee drinking may decrease the risk of diabetes, stroke and some types of cancer," Lopez-Garcia, of Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain, told Reuters Health in an email.

But she warned that the drink can worsen problems like insomnia, anxiety and high blood pressure.

"Because of these side effects of coffee, it is prudent to recommend moderate coffee consumption," she said.

Source: reuters.com

So back in 2004 channel 4 put a programme on about a man with a skin condition where his skin fell off with an slight friction. At this time I was in one heck of a state with my psoriasis. After watching this I got a real sense of perspective of my own life and helped me through a tough time. Even now when I feel I'm up against it I still think of the amazing man in the programme.

If you have a spare hour it may be worth watching, all you need to do is go to 4 on demand and search for it and watch! 

Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a development-stage oncology and dermatology biopharmaceutical company, announced top-line data for the company's randomized controlled trial (RCT) of PH-10 for mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis.

The Phase 2 trial (protocol PH-10-PS-23) compared safety and efficacy of three dose levels of PH-10 (0.002% Rose Bengal, 0.005% Rose Bengal and 0.01% Rose Bengal) against vehicle. Ninety-nine subjects with mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis of the trunk and/or extremities were randomized to one of the four study arms and applied their assigned test article once daily for 28 consecutive days. Subjects were assessed weekly during the treatment interval, and returned one week and four weeks after their final application for final assessment of safety and efficacy. Efficacy was assessed using the Psoriasis Severity Index (PSI), the Plaque Response Assessment scale, and the Pruritus (itching) Self Assessment scale. Similarity of the patient population, study events schedule and study assessments allows results from the randomized trial to be compared side-by-side with those of a prior single-arm trial of PH-10 using a lower dose level (protocol PH-10-PS-22, which used PH-10 at 0.001% Rose Bengal). The study began in December 2010 and was completed in August 2011, with final data collection for primary outcome completed in February 2012.

Results for all three efficacy parameters showed improvement in psoriasis symptoms over the treatment interval, with the low dose of PH-10 (0.002%) providing uniformly consistent improvement, while reduced therapeutic activity was observed at the two higher doses. Response for PH-10 at 0.002% Rose Bengal was comparable to that observed previously using PH-10 at 0.001% Rose Bengal. After 28 days of treatment with PH-10 (all strengths), 23-29% of subjects achieved complete or nearly complete resolution of all PSI component symptoms (erythema, induration and desquamation), compared to no subjects in the vehicle arm. Thirty eight percent of subjects receiving the low dose of PH-10 reported no itching after 28 days compared with 14% of those receiving vehicle (45% of subjects receiving 0.001% Rose Bengal in the earlier study reported no itching after 28 days). PH-10 at 0.002% and 0.005% (along with 0.001% in the prior study) exhibited maximum improvement in Plaque Response Assessment, with the improvements for 0.002% achieving high significance (p < 0.001) after two weeks of treatment; all strengths proved superior to vehicle after 28 days, with the highest strength exhibiting the least activity. As noted in prior studies, PH-10 was generally well tolerated with only transient mild to occasionally moderate adverse experiences limited to the application site.

Dr. Craig Dees, Ph.D., CEO of Provectus said, "We are excited by the positive data reported for this randomized trial of PH-10. Despite the complexity of this four-arm study, we are pleased that it clearly showed that the low dose level was optimal of the three doses tested, with similar activity to that seen in our earlier single-arm trial, and that it was superior to vehicle. These important results provide us with powerful data to guide us as we ramp up our development efforts. We expect the data from this randomized study will eventually lead to a term sheet for a proposed licensing agreement which will trigger the engagement of a financial advisor to assist us with that transaction."

PH-10 is an aqueous hydrogel formulation of Rose Bengal disodium for topical administration to the skin, and is being studied for the treatment of cutaneous skin disorders, specifically psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Rose Bengal is a compound that has been in use for over thirty years by ophthalmologists to assess damage to the eye and has an established safety history. It has also been used as an intravenous diagnostic to detect ailments of the liver.

Source: pvct.com

A clinical study co‐led by the Montreal Heart Institute and Innovaderm Research Inc. shows that a Humira (adalimumab) could be associated with a significant decrease in vascular inflammation, a major risk factor of cardiovascular disease. The goal of this clinical study was to show that a treatment to reduce skin inflammation in psoriasis patients could be associated with a decrease in vascular inflammation.

The study had positive results, as vascular inflammation decreased significantly in patients suffering from psoriasis who were treated with adalimumab, a biological anti‐inflammatory compound. The study also showed a 51% decrease in C‐reactive protein among patients treated with adalimumab compared to a 2% decrease among patients in the control group. These results are significant, as a high level of C‐reactive protein is known to be associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. In relation to the treatment of psoriasis, 70% of patients who received the compound presented with a major decrease in skin lesion severity, compared to 20% of patients in the control group.

According to Dr. Robert Bissonnette, President and Founder of Innovaderm Research Inc. and co‐principal author of the study, said "This study is a great example of the high‐level research being conducted in Montréal. "He added that this clinical research study suggests that it is possible to assess the impact of psoriasis treatments on the heart without having to resort to long‐term studies that require thousands of patients and have higher costs.

"These findings are extremely encouraging for people suffering from psoriasis, as they face a greater risk of cardiovascular disease," explained Dr. Jean‐Claude Tardif, Director of the Research Centre of the Montreal Heart Institute and co‐principal author of the study. He also emphasized the importance of regular medical follow‐up for people with psoriasis to prevent cardiovascular events and establish an optimum therapeutic approach.

Between May 2009 and June 2011, 30 patients suffering from moderate to severe psoriasis and with a history of coronary artery disease or multiple associated risk factors were followed for four months as part of a randomized clinical study. The patients were divided into two groups: the first group was treated with sub‐cutaneous injections of adalimumab while the second group received no treatment or a routine treatment (i.e., topical formulation, phototherapy). Each patient's level of vascular inflammation was measured at the start and end of the study with positron emission tomography (PET), a type of medical imaging, to scan the carotid arteries and the ascending aorta.

Source: icm-mhi.org

VBL Therapeutics, a clinical stage biotechnology company committed to the development of novel treatments for immune-inflammatory diseases and cancer, today announced that a Phase 2 sub-study of VB-201 in moderate to severe psoriasis patients with cardiovascular risk has successfully achieved its primary endpoint demonstrating a statistically significant reduction in vascular inflammation associated with atherosclerotic lesions as measured by PET-CT imaging. VB-201 is a first-in-class, oral disease-modifying agent selected from a series of proprietary oxidized phospholipid analogs pioneered by the company in the Lecinoxoid molecular class. The compound is being developed as an oral controller medicine for chronic immuno-inflammatory disease and atherosclerosis inflammation.

The findings validate the compound's novel mechanism of action for the control and attenuation of chronic immuno-inflammatory diseases via the highly selective modulation of components of the innate immune system. Central to the overall mechanism of action for VB-201 are the targeted antagonism of cell-surface Toll-Like Receptor (TLR)-2 and TLR-4 co-receptor CD-14, and the inhibition of chemokine-mediated migration of monocytes to inflamed tissue. The study data support the growing scientific evidence that these mechanisms are important in regulating inflammation in atherosclerosis. VB-201 is a first-in-class, specific, orally-available innate immunity controller drug.

"The Phase 2 data are promising and demonstrate an anti-inflammatory effect of VB-201 on psoriasis patients with atherosclerosis within a short time period," said Dr. Kimball. "VB-201 is the first drug we aware of to demonstrate a reduction in the inflammation associated with atherosclerosis through this pathway. These data are especially important given the growing evidence linking cardiovascular events and elevated mortality in patients with chronic inflammation, including patients with psoriasis. This study serves as a proof of concept for this compound's novel mechanism of action and demonstrates an anti-inflammatory effect on two systemic inflammatory conditions simultaneously—atherosclerosis of the vascular wall and psoriasis."

In the pre-defined cardiovascular sub-study, PET-CT scans were used to evaluate the effect of VB-201 on the suppression of active inflammation in atherosclerotic lesions. PET-CT has been validated as an imaging tool for measuring vascular inflammation related to atherosclerosis and has been shown to predict cardiovascular events. VB-201 produced a statistically significant, dose-responsive mean reduction of 12.7 percent of the inflammation associated with vascular endothelial lesions (80 mg dose group)

In the overall Phase 2 study, VB-201 demonstrated an excellent safety and tolerability profile. There were no treatment-related serious adverse events observed, and the overall rates of adverse events were similar across the VB-201 drug and placebo dosing arms. Statistically significant improvements in the psoriasis efficacy endpoints, Physician Global Assessment and Patient Global Assessment.

"We are excited to reveal that the favorable experimental data in the atherosclerosis models has translated into proof of concept in humans," said Yael Cohen, M.D., vice president, clinical development at VBL. "We believe that these data suggest that VB-201 is an excellent candidate for both the control of primary chronic immuno-inflammatory disease as well as the reduction of the elevated cardiovascular risk accompanying the primary disease. It's encouraging to see the psoriasis efficacy measures did not plateau at the conclusion of the 12-week trial and, as a result, an additional trial with higher dosage and longer duration is underway."

Source: news-medical.net

(Thu-08-09-2011, 21:55 PM)Fred Wrote: Welcome to the Psoriasis Club Forum. We started in 2010 with a free hosted forum and now we are pleased to launch our own hosted forum.

The idea of the forum is to give people who have or know someone with psoriasis a place to share information. We pride ourselves on running a friendly forum and we act quickly on spam/bullying/etc to protect our members.

Please come and join us and be part of a friendly community with others who understand what it's like to live with psoriasis. Maybe you can help a fellow sufferer? Or just want some answers from people who have lived with psoriasis. We are all in it together and sharing can help us all.

Hello everybody. I'm 65 and I live on the West Coast of Scotland. I work with fine porcelain clay sculpture. It's just about a year since I was diagnosed with palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP). The skin on the soles of my feet broke out first, followed by my hands, after a prolonged period of severe stress resulting from personal and family problems. I'm just starting counselling to help me to find a way forwards. I have a very supportive husband, and our Labrador dog called Sam does a pretty good job too. My GP has been very good through all this, as well as have all the folks at Crosshouse Hospital.

So far I have been treated with a multitude of creams and potions and bandages. I have not long finished 20 PUVA sessions. My hands are a lot better, but my feet are an ongoing problem. That about sums it up, but I'm bound to have forgotten something!

Hello. I'm new to this Forum. I've had palmoplantar pustulosis PPP for just about a year now. I often find myself shivering for no reason and my hands going cold, even though our home is plenty warm enough. Nobody has come up with the reason for this and I'd really like to know why it happens - and, of course, can I do anything about it !!!

Do you want a free treatment for psoriasis that works?

Well there is one, and now is the time to start claiming yours! There is no patent on it and no one can stop you using it. You will need to use this free treatment on average 3 times a week and it will take you around 15 minutes for each dose. You won’t feel greasy or smelly after each treatment, and it’s not difficult to use. I make no guarantee that it will totally clear your skin but it is one of the best things you can use, and it is a proven treatment that will help with psoriasis.

Some companies have tried to manufacture a similar product, and have succeeded to an extent. But no one has managed to produce this product to the same standard as the free version. With the manufactured versions of this product you can overdose and cause problems, but with the free version it’s not possible to overdose. And one of the best things about this treatment, no one can sell it to you; it’s yours for the taking.

So click the spoiler below to get your free psoriasis treatment.

Spoiler

Vitamin D
Is a natural free treatment that comes from the Sun. With diet, supplements, or tanning beds you can get too much Vit D but with the sunshine your body will only take what it needs.

Yes you should be careful with sunburn but an average dose of 15 minutes three times a week is sufficient to give your body all the Vit D it needs. Darker-skinned people may need 5-10 times more exposure than a fair-skinned person to make the same amount of vitamin D and the further you live from the equator, the longer exposure you need to the sun in order to generate vitamin D.

So get out in the Sun for 15 minutes exposing as much skin as you can three times a week and claim your Free Psoriasis Treatment.
Tips:

• If you’re not sure about exposing your skin, use long sleeved shirts with the arms rolled up, you can always pull them down quick. Same applies to trouser legs.
  
  
• If you have long hair tie it back with a scrunchie, when someone comes nearby let your hair down. For short hair wear a sun hat to cover your scalp and take it off when no one’s around.
  
  
• Don’t try to get you dose of Vit D through glass, it will not work. You need to be in the open.
  
  
• As it only takes 15 minutes three times a week try finding a local park where you can walk away from everyone else.
  
  
• Don’t use supplements or tanning beds, get outside in the sunshine. Spend one of your 168 hours in a week getting some sun and enjoy, its free, its natural, and it works.  
  

Another thread about Vit D: Vitamin D the natural way.

Cellceutix Corporation a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing small molecule drugs to treat unmet medical conditions, is pleased to report that it has filed a pre-IND submission with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Prurisol™ (also termed "KM-133"), the Company's drug in development as a novel treatment for psoriasis. The Company's submission provides information to the FDA on Prurisol supporting a pre-IND meeting.

Cellceutix is requesting the meeting for guidance to attain approval for a section 505(b)(2) designation for Prurisol from the FDA, allowing its proposed clinical trials to begin in advanced stages. The ultimate goal of the meeting is to gain a full understanding of the studies required to support a New Drug Application (NDA) filing for Prurisol. According to 505(b)(2) guidelines, reliance is placed upon the FDA's findings for a previously approved drug; allowing for a NDA approval to be received for a novel drug with a sponsor forgoing a portion of clinical trials and without a "right of reference" from the original drug maker.

"Prurisol is an ester of a FDA-approved drug that is used for different indications today," commented Dr. Krishna Menon, Chief Scientific Officer at Cellceutix. "Because the safety and tolerability of the active ingredient have already been determined by the FDA, we are hopeful that it will meet the requirements to advance immediately to Phase 2/3 clinical trials, saving considerable time and money. As part of our planned meeting with the FDA, we will also discuss Prurisol's eligibility for 'Fast Track' review, a designation that will further expedite our efforts to bring Prurisol to market."

Cellceutix has previously disclosed images of mice treated with Prurisol demonstrating its effectiveness as compared to methotrexate.

Boosting levels of the simple compound fumarate in mice significantly reduces damage from a heart attack, an Oxford University-led study has shown.

Fumarate, which comes in the form of simple pills to swallow, is already known to be safe and well-tolerated in humans from trials of the drug in multiple sclerosis and psoriasis.

The researchers say that clinical trials in humans could now go ahead to see if fumarate can reduce injury to the heart in a range of conditions. They are beginning to plan for a trial in patients undergoing heart surgery.

The Oxford University researchers, along with colleagues from the UK, Denmark and the USA, published their findings in the journal Cell Metabolism.

They showed that fumarate greatly reduces the amount of heart tissue damage occurring in a mouse model of a heart attack. In mice given fumarate, the amount of dead heart tissue after the heart attack was 9.3% of the whole heart volume. In untreated mice, it was 36.9%.

Dr Houman Ashrafian of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Oxford University, who led the study, said: 'We have shown that heart attack size in mice can be reduced substantially by boosting their fumarate levels.'

Coronary heart disease is still the biggest killer in the UK. It occurs when blocked arteries reduce the blood flow to the heart. The lack of oxygen reaching the heart muscle results in tissue damage.

A heart attack is caused by a sudden block in the blood flow and rapid treatment is needed to remove the blood clot and re-open the artery. Despite modern treatments contributing to a reduction in death rates, there are still many patients that sustain significant heart damage.

There is a need for additional treatments that can help protect the heart – not just in heart attacks but also in patients with a range of conditions whose hearts may be exposed to other causes of injury.

Fumarate is a simple chemical compound or metabolite that forms part of the normal metabolic pathway the body uses to break down food and release energy – the process known as the citric acid or Krebs cycle. But metabolites can also have roles in biological pathways that control the responses of cells to stress, such as low oxygen.

For example, increased levels of fumarate have been implicated in allowing some cancer cells to thrive in the low oxygen levels that surround them.

Some seals that can dive to great depths under the Antarctic where there is little oxygen appear to activate similar biological pathways that employ fumarate.

These lines of evidence led the Oxford University researchers to become interested in whether there was any role of fumarate in heart cells’ response to stress, and whether fumarate could be protective against low oxygen levels.

As well as showing the reduction in heart attack size in mice, the researchers also identified the biological pathways triggered by increased levels of fumarate which appeared to result in the extra protection for the heart.

'The advantages of fumarate are that it would present a relatively safe, cheap drug that wouldn’t need to be given for very long,' says Dr Ashrafian. 'It could be used upfront to protect the heart ahead of surgery or other predictable insults. Potentially it may also be beneficial in heart attacks in addition to standard treatments.

'But let’s be clear: it’s great to show we can reduce heart attack damage in mice. It’s another thing altogether to show that fumarate is protective in humans. But it is now ready to test in clinical trials.'

Dr Ashrafian has applied for patents on the use of fumarate in heart surgery and coronary heart disease through Isis Innovation, the University of Oxford-owned technology transfer company.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), which was the major funder of the study, said: 'This very promising study shows that fumarate, already safely trialled in patients for other conditions, including multiple sclerosis, might be repurposed for the benefit of heart patients. It provides strong foundations to build on in the future, and we look forward to seeing the results of the first clinical trials.'

Source: ox.ac.uk

new to this just soo fed up with my complaint, thought i might get some ideas on her. anna

Hello everyone!
I'm pleased to join the forum. I have had guttate psoriasis for 31 years (legs, elbows and wierdly ears, also get odd patches on arms and new one on back). Last summer I cleared up quite nicely just doing the garden - it was pretty miraculous but all back now the winter gloom has set in. I always try to manage my condition with out perscription drugs although I have had them in the past. My old doctor said he wished he could perscribe a 2 week holiday in the sun - that would be nice
I'm looking forward to reading through some old posts and joining in when I can x

Manchester is today celebrating success after securing £12.5million of Government funding for clinical research.

Three leading hospital trusts, working closely with the University of Manchester, have been awarded the money to carry out research into many of the major diseases and illnesses that affect the population of Greater Manchester and the wider North West.

The three Clinical Research Facilities that will receive funding are:

#1 Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust who will use the £5.5 million funding to support studies for people with diseases such as arthritis, psoriasis, depression, addiction, and diabetes.
   
#2 The Christie NHS Foundation Trust who will use the £4.5million funding to support early-stage trials of treatments for people with cancer.
   
#3 University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust who will use the £2.5million funding to support early-stage trials of treatments for people with lung diseases such as asthma, fungal infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and also food allergies.

Researchers believe the success of these bids reflects the scale of expertise in conducting clinical trials in NHS organisations in Manchester and the University of Manchester which collectively form MAHSC (Manchester Academic Health Science Centre).

Professor Ian Jacobs is Director of MAHSC and Vice President of the University of Manchester. He believes this is a Red Letter Day for Manchester and further enhances the reputation of the city as a leading international centre for healthcare and health science.

He explains: “An extraordinary level of collaborative joint working has been achieved which makes it possible to conduct trials of the highest quality, on a large scale in a broad range of health areas including cancer, respiratory, neurological, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and inflammatory disorders. This funding will lead to new healthcare innovations which will be rapidly applied for the benefit of our population through the MAHSC partnership.”

NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts with clinical research facilities submitted bids for the funding, which were judged by a panel of UK experts in both medical research and in running clinical research facilities. Winning bids were selected on the basis of the quality and volume of world-class medical research they support as well as other criteria including the strength of their partnerships with universities and industry

Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley says: “Both public and patients think it’s important that the NHS should support research into new treatments, and we agree. That’s why we’re investing over £100m in research facilities, nurses and technicians to help make the NHS a world-class place to do research.

Source: mahsc.ac.uk

Researchers have found that ustekinumab (Stelara, Janssen Biotech, Inc.), a novel interleukin 12 (IL-12) and IL-23 antagonist, has a favorable benefit–risk profile for up to 3 years of treatment for moderate to severe psoriasis.

Because many patients with psoriasis require decades of treatment, researchers are particularly concerned with finding therapies that will retain their efficacy without causing serious adverse effects. "Chronic use of conventional systemic therapies has been associated with a hazard of cumulative end-organ toxicities (e.g., hepatotoxicity with methotrexate and nephrotoxicity with cyclosporine)," the authors write.

Ustekinumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that works by binding to the shared p40 subunit of IL-12 and IL-23. The current report is a long-term extension of the Psoriasis Followed by Long-Term Extension (PHOENIX) 1 study, a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that initially evaluated ustekinumab through 76 weeks of treatment. The report focuses on efficacy through 3 years because 4 other trials have reported detailed information on the drug's safety during that period.

The researchers performed analyses of clinical efficacy in the following groups:

# the overall study population,
# early responders who maintained dosing every 12 weeks through 3 years,
# responders who were withdrawn from therapy and who were subsequently retreated, and
# partial responders who had the dosing interval changed from every 12 weeks to every 8 weeks.

The First 76 Weeks

The PHOENIX 1 study included 766 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who were randomly assigned to receive placebo or ustekinumab 45 mg or 90 mg at week 0, week 4, and every 12 weeks after that (period 1: week 0 - week 12). At week 12, patients in the placebo group crossed over to receive ustekinumab 45 mg or 90 mg at week 12, week 16, and every 12 weeks after that (period 2: week 12 - week 40). Starting at week 28, treatment was based on treatment response:

Responders were participants whose scores on the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) improved by at least 75% (PASI75) at both week 28 and week 40.
Partial responders were patients whose PASI scores improved by from 50% to 74% (PASI50-74) at week 28, or by less than 75% (< PASI75) at week 40.
Nonresponders were patients with less than 50% PASI (< PASI50) improvement at week 28.

At week 40, responders who were randomly assigned to receive ustekinumab at baseline were rerandomized either to keep receiving ustekinumab every 12 weeks or to withdraw from treatment (period 3: week 40 - week 76), with follow-up through 3 years (period 4: week 76 - year 3).

Responders who were randomly assigned to receive placebo at baseline were withdrawn from treatment at week 40, with follow-up through 3 years.

At the time of psoriasis recurrence (loss of ≥50% of PASI improvement achieved at week 40), patients who had been withdrawn from therapy were retreated with 2 doses of ustekinumab 4 weeks apart, followed by administration every 12 weeks thereafter.

The dosing interval was shortened to every 8 weeks in partial responders, and treatment was withdrawn in nonresponders.

Weeks 77 Through Year 3

Of the 766 patients enrolled in the study, 753 received at least 1 dose of ustekinumab, and 601 (79.8%) of those continued in the study through year 3.

At week 76, PASI75 response was achieved by 61.2% (45 mg) and 72.4% (90 mg), and these results remained consistent through year 3.

In the overall population, PASI90 responses remained stable through year 3 with stable maintenance dosing and no evidence of decreasing response (45 mg: 33.9% at week 76 and 36.1% at year 3; 90 mg: 44.9% and 45.5%, respectively). Similarly, the median PASI improvement was relatively stable (45 mg: 82.4% at week 76 and 83.6% at year 3; 90 mg: 87.2% and 88.4%, respectively), and PGA response of 0 or 1 remained consistent as well (cleared or minimal; 45 mg: 43.6% and 42.6%; 90 mg: 54.9% and 52.5%).

Among initial responders who received treatment every 12 weeks, more than 80% maintained PASI75 response through week 76 (45 mg: 81.8%; 90mg: 86.6%). This response rate was sustained through year 3 (45 mg: 80.9%; 90 mg: 82.7%). Most (93.3%) of these patients had PASI50 improvement or greater through year 3. Significant proportions of patients experienced PASI90 (45 mg: 42.6%; 90 mg: 58.0%) and PASI100 (45 mg: 22.1%; 90 mg: 38.3%) responses through year 3.

Approximately 50% of the patients withdrawn from treatment lost PASI75 response within approximately 16 weeks of their last treatment.

Scores on the Dermatology Life Quality Index paralleled clinical improvements for the most part.

Initial partial responders had their dosing interval shortened from every 12 weeks to every 8 weeks, and about half of those achieved and maintained (45 mg: 50.9%) or improved (90 mg: 52.0%) PASI 75 response through year 3.

"Ustekinumab was generally well-tolerated through up to 3 years of follow-up, as most [adverse events] were mild, non-serious, and did not require treatment discontinuation," the authors write.

"The safety profile of ustekinumab through up to 3 years of treatment appears generally favorable, is consistent with previous observations through week 76 and compares favorably with other biologics," they add.

"Importantly, no evidence of cumulative organ toxicities that may limit the long-term utility of conventional systemic agents was observed."

"These results continue to support the favorable benefit-risk profile of ustekinumab in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis with continuous, stable maintenance dosing through 3 years of therapy. High level efficacy and a consistent safety profile were sustained over time," write the authors.

Jeffrey Weinberg, MD, director of clinical research in the Department of Dermatology at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, commented on the study in a telephone interview with Medscape Medical News. He explained that the biggest question dermatologists have is whether a drug is safe to use long-term, and that although this is a small cohort of people, it is "a good thing to see is that there are no new side effects, and no increase in side effects that are noted as time goes on."

"This is what we need with a new drug. We need to observe a new drug as it continues to be used in individuals and as it's used in practice, and be very observant for long-term safety," Dr. Weinberg said.

"What they have provided so far is very encouraging. It just needs longer-term follow-up and analysis of how the drug does as it's used in more and more people," concluded Dr. Weinberg.

Source: medscape.com

Proximagen Group plc (AIM: PRX), the rapidly growing company with a focus on the treatment of disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) and inflammatory diseases, announces that it had commenced dosing in a Phase I clinical trial of PRX167700, a Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 (VAP-1) antagonist, for the treatment of inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriasis.

Proximagen’s PRX167700 is an oral drug candidate that is expected to work by regulating the movement of immune cells from the blood into sites of inflammation, thereby modulating the underlying inflammatory process and relieving the symptoms of inflammation. This mode of action provides the potential for a disease modifying effect, whereby modulating the movement of the damaging immune cells to the sites of inflammation also stops further damage caused by the disease.

In addition to efficacy shown in models of RA, PRX167700 has demonstrated efficacy in models of multiple sclerosis and inflammatory pain. Regulating the movement of immune cells is also important in these two diseases, indicating that PRX167700 has potential utility in multiple disease areas of high unmet medical need.

This Phase I trial is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of single and multiple ascending oral doses of PRX167700 in healthy male subjects, and the effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of a single oral dose of the drug. The study will also investigate the relationship between the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of single and multiple ascending oral doses of PRX167700. The first results are anticipated in 2012.

Source: proximagen.com

Creabilis SA, a European biotechnology company specialising in the development of treatments for dermatology, inflammation and pain, today announced the start of the Phase IIb global clinical trial of its lead product CT327 in patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Recruitment is progressing well.

CT327 is a novel topically applied TrkA kinase inhibitor developed using Creabilis' LSE (Low Systemic Exposure) technology. LSE technology creates new chemical entities which allow high local concentrations combined with low systemic exposure; these are ideal characteristics for medicines designed for topical applications.

The Phase IIb study is a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled dose finding study of the efficacy and safety of a new CT327 ointment formulation (0.05%, 0.1% and 0.5% w/w) administered for up to eight weeks in patients with psoriasis. A total of 160 patients are expected to complete the trial and results are anticipated towards the end of 2012.

Creabilis announced positive results from a Phase IIa study of CT327 in psoriasis in March 2011. CT327 (0.1% w/w cream formulation) produced a good efficacy response across multiple endpoints including PGA (Physician Global Assessment) and mPASI (modified Psoriasis Area and Severity Index). CT327 was also well tolerated with no reported application site irritation. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed no detectable plasma CT327, as anticipated with the LSE technology.

Dr David Roblin, Chief Medical Officer of Creabilis said: "Our Phase IIb trial of CT327 is another important step in the development of a product that we believe has exciting potential in the treatment of psoriasis and other important skin diseases. This study uses the new and proposed commercial ointment formulation and in three concentrations of CT327 to ensure that the best dose is selected for Phase III start. We look forward to building on the very promising Phase IIa results already generated." 

Source: prnewswire.com

I’m a big fan of Coconut Oil and yesterday I stocked up from an ethnic cooking store in the city. I buy it there because it costs less, and it is just good quality pure coconut oil and nothing else.
The one I buy comes in a big plastic jar or small bottles, when it’s cold it is a white solid a bit like candle wax, and once melted it is a clear liquid. It melts on body contact or you can always warm it up. DO NOT mistake it for coconut milk; you’re looking for Pure Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil is a fantastic natural moisturiser for any dry skin and is especially helpful for psoriasis leaving your skin feeling and looking great. It has been reported to help with wrinkles but there is no good evidence. It’s also one of the most nutritious products you can put on your hair, as it provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair. Coconut oil speeds up the healing process of bruises by repairing damaged tissues, and rubbing it on cuts will form a protective barrier against infections.

Whilst you can eat Coconut Oil there is no evidence that it helps with psoriasis by ingestion. You should consider its high saturated fat content but some say it helps with cholesterol, high blood pressure, digestion, immunity and infections, and weight loss. It’s used in many South Asian curries.  And was once described in a New York Times article as “having a "haunting, nutty, vanilla flavour" that also has a touch of sweetness”, that could explain its use for making popcorn.

Apparently Coconut Oil will repel Sand Fleas found in the tropical parts of Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and India. The Sand Flea can cause Tungiasis, which is identified by skin inflammation, severe pain, itching, and a lesion at the site of infection that is characterized by a black dot at the centre of a swollen red lesion, surrounded by what looks like a white halo.

So get yourself some Pure Coconut Oil from your ethnic cooking shop, use it daily on your skin especially after a shower or bath and give your skin a treat. You can use it on all parts of your body, but please note that Coconut Oil could possibly damage latex condoms.

EDIT: Since making this post I have tried various brands of coconut oil and found some to be good, some bad, some even contained additives, and some are just to expensive. But now my favourite brand is Biona virgin coconut oil.