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Update on the New Biologic Therapies for Psoriasis

A supplement to Skin & Allergy News supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Genentech.
Highlights of presentations made at a regional continuing medical education program held March 21-26, 2003, San Francisco.

•Contents
•Faculty
•Target Audience
•Educational Needs
•Learning Objectives
•Accreditation

Medical Education Library
To view the supplement, click the image above. To take the CME test, download and print out the PDF file, and follow the test instructions on page 11.

Contents

• Overview of Psoriasis: Rationale for the Use of Biologic Therapy

• Overview of Biologic Therapies in the Treatment of Psoriasis

• Integrating the New Biologic Therapies Into Clinical Practice

• Conclusions

Faculty

Kenneth B. Gordon, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Dermatology
Grant/Research: Genentech, Amgen, Biogen, Centocor; Consultant: Genentech, Amgen, Biogen, Centocor. Discusses the investigational uses of efalizumab, etanercept, and infliximab for the treatment of psoriasis.

Alice B. Gottlieb, MD, PhD
W.H. Conzen Chair in Clinical Pharmacology
Director of the Clinical Research Center
Professor of Medicine
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
New Brunswick
Grant/Research: Genentech, Amgen, Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim, CellGate, Centocor, Novartis, Wyeth, XOMA; Consultant: Genentech, Amgen, Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim, CellGate, Centocor, Enanta, Novartis, Roche, Wyeth, XOMA; Speaker's Bureau: Amgen, Biogen, Centocor, Novartis, Wyeth. Discusses the investigational uses of efalizumab, etanercept, and infliximab for the treatment of psoriasis.

Target Audience

This activity has been developed for dermatologists who treat patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.

Educational Needs

For more than 20 years, there have been few significant developments in the treatment of psoriasis. Today, an entirely new approach to therapy has been made possible as a result of our increased understanding of the pathophysiology of psoriasis. Four new biologic therapy agents are currently approved or in development to treat psoriasis. Two agents inhibit the cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and the other two agents target T cells. This CME activity provides the dermatologist with an overview of the immunopathology of psoriasis as well as new information about these biologic therapies.

Learning Objectives

By reading and studying this supplement, participants should be able to:

• Understand the rationale for the use of new biologic therapies for psoriasis.

• Recognize the impact of biologic therapies on patient-reported outcomes.

• Describe how the new biologic therapies can be integrated into clinical practice.

Accreditation

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of Excerpta Medica, Inc., and Skin & Allergy News. Excerpta Medica is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Excerpta Medica designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1 category 1 credit toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those credits that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

Term of Approval: August 2003-August 2004.