Psoriasis vulgaris treated successfully with mycophenolate mofetil

Abstract

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is a new immunosuppressive drug which non-competitively and reversibly blocks the de novo synthesis of guanine nucleotides required for DNA and RNA synthesis during T- and B-cell proliferation. This induces a selective inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation. Thus MMF is currently used to prolong graft survival in renal transplant patients. In this communication we describe the first case of a man with severe psoriasis treated successfully with oral MMF without short-term side-effects. The psoriasis area and severity index score decreased during therapy (5 weeks) from 22.0 to 11.4. Thus MMF appears to be an effective therapeutic alternative in the treatment of severe psoriasis.