The past decade has witnessed significant advances in our understanding of the key causes of psoriasis. As a result, novel and highly targeted medications have been developed, and are now becoming available to patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Scientific research continues to shed light on the causes of psoriasis and allows for the development of such new therapies to benefit patients.
In the future, it is hoped that developments will evolve in the following major areas.
Increased Understanding of the Causes of Psoriasis
There have been significant advances in our understanding of the key causes of psoriasis. The immune system has been recognized as playing a major role in the formation of psoriasis. This immune dysfunction results in the generation of immune cells (like T-lymphocytes) that release chemical messengers, called cytokines, which stimulate the skin and joints to create the characteristic red, scaling lesions of psoriasis and swollen, tender joints of psoriatic arthritis. Increasing knowledge of the pathways and triggers of inflammation, and the immunologic basis for psoriasis, will enable us to develop specifically targeted biologic agents. It is believed that they will be safer and work more effectively. Currently there are a number of these exciting new drugs under development.
 |
| Treatment For Psoriasis |
lnterleukin-12 (IL-12) and Interleukin-23 (IL-23)
IL-12 and IL-23 have been recently identified as the key chemical messengers (or cytokines) that may act as a switch to turn on the immune abnormalities of psoriasis. Additional studies with drugs that target this pathway are ongoing. Recent studies using antibodies against components of these cytokines and other important cytokines such as IL-22, IL-23 and IL-17 are planned or ongoing and have had striking results and hold major promise as a future treatment of psoriasis.
Genetics and Pharmacogenomics
DNA is found within the heart of the cell and provides the blueprint for a person's makeup, including that of health and disease. Understanding the genetics of psoriasis will provide several benefits. First, doctors will be able to accurately predict who might develop more severe forms of disease and psoriatic arthritis. Second, doctors may be able to develop new therapies that target the genetic abnormality of psoriasis. This will provide a number of benefits:
- Different genes might be involved in different people. New drugs could be developed to target these specific genes.
- Future clinical research could be directed only to patients who will be expected to respond to those certain medications, based on their genetic makeup.
- More accurate calculation of drug dosage will be possible.
Pharmacogenomics could provide doctors with this advantage in the future. The field of pharmacogenomics involves studying how an individual's genetic makeup affects the body's response to different drugs.
Patients with psoriasis are familiar with the concept that what may work for one person may not work for another. In fact, the specific treatments that we often choose in psoriasis are highly individualized to each patient. A number of factors can influence a response to medication, such as environment, diet, age, lifestyle, and health. Of central importance to understanding a person's response to medicine is his or her individual genetic makeup. Understanding this information could provide us with information about which medications might be most beneficial and safe.
- Pharmacogenomics is an exciting area of research that may help scientists and doctors understand why certain patients respond well to particular medications, and to predict to which medications patients will respond to best. Doctors may be able to analyze the genetic profile of a patient and determine the best therapy.
- Also, knowing a patient's genetic profile could help determine the best dose rather than the traditional method of giving a fixed dose to each patient or basing it solely on his or her weight.
 |
| Treatment For Psoriasis |
Determining Prognosis
At present, we are unable to accurately determine which children or adults will progress to more severe disease or develop psoriatic arthritis. Ultimately, understanding the genetic makeup of an individual and the key determinants of psoriasis could enable us to predict which patients will progress to more severe disease or psoriatic arthritis, This might permit the early introduction of certain medications or changes in lifestyle/environmental to minimize the impact of this disease.
In short, pharmacogenomics may enable us to predict the best medication for specific patients for improved benefit in their disease and safety in their overall health. To find out more, you can check out Treatment For Psoriasis.