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Adalimumab: A Review in Chronic Plaque Psoriasis

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Abstract

Adalimumab (Humira®) is a fully human monoclonal antibody against tumour necrosis factor (TNF), formulated for subcutaneous administration. It is well established in the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis and has recently received approval in the EU for the treatment of severe chronic plaque psoriasis in children and adolescents from 4 years of age. In a phase III trial in paediatric patients, a significantly greater proportion of patients receiving adalimumab 0.8 mg/kg (to a maximum of 40 mg) every other week (eow) achieved a ≥75 % improvement from baseline in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index than those receiving methotrexate after 16 weeks of treatment. In adults, well-designed randomized clinical trials demonstrated that adalimumab 40 mg eow effectively reduced the signs and symptoms of psoriasis and improved dermatology-specific and general measures of health-related quality of life, with these benefits sustained during long-term treatment. Adalimumab was generally well tolerated, compared with placebo or methotrexate, during clinical trials in paediatric and adult patients with chronic plaque psoriasis. Thus, adalimumab remains an important treatment strategy in adults with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis and provides a promising new systemic treatment option for children and adolescents from 4 years of age with severe psoriasis.

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Acknowledgments

During the peer review process, the manufacturer of the adalimumab was also offered an opportunity to review this article. Changes resulting from comments received were made on the basis of scientific and editorial merit.

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    Celeste B. Burness & Kate McKeage

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The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding.

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Celeste Burness and Kate McKeage are salaried employees of Adis/Springer, are responsible for the article content and declare no relevant conflicts of interest.

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The manuscript was reviewed by: C. Blandizzi, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; S. Mantarro Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; A.G. Richetta, Clinic of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy; P. - G. Sator, Department of Dermatology, Hospital Hietzing, Vienna, Austria; R. B. Vender, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

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Burness, C.B., McKeage, K. Adalimumab: A Review in Chronic Plaque Psoriasis. Drugs 75, 2119–2130 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40265-015-0503-x

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