Efficacy and Safety Observed During 24 Weeks of Efalizumab Therapy in Patients With Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis

Abstract

Chronic plaque psoriasis is a lifelong disease with a substantial impact on the physical well-being and quality of a patient’s life. Characterized by periods of spontaneous remission and relapse, the course of psoriasis is variable and often unpredictable. To maintain control of their disease, patients typically require long-term therapy. However, long-term treatment in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis is limited by the potential for toxic effects on organs, such as renal, hepatic, or bone marrow, in addition to teratogenicity and malignancy associated with the traditional systemic therapies.^1-3 Many dermatologists and their patients are hesitant to aggressively treat moderate to severe psoriasis with methotrexate, cyclosporine, oral retinoids, or psoralen–UV-A because their administration requires frequent monitoring.⁴