News|Articles|July 1, 2002

Alefacept: A T-cell-specific immunosuppressant to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PDF)

Alefacept (Amevive) is the first immunosuppressive agent directed specifically at inhibiting the activation of, and possibly killing, T cells, which are involved in the cascade of events leading to psoriatic plaque formation and inflammation. In May, an FDA advisory committee recommended alefacept for approval as a first-line therapy against moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The authors of this Focus article review the clinical characteristics of alefacept as well as make comparisons with other systemic drugs currently used to treat chronic psoriasis and the likely biologic competitors etanercept and infliximab.


Related to this article

The quest to keep skin from aging may lead here
Elevated levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) drive “inflammaging” processes that take a toll on skin tissue as people age, according to research results reported by Japanese researchers. Reducing IgG may mitigate the loss of collagen and elastin.
Stafeeva-stock@adobe.com
Pharmacy benefit managers are moving beyond formulary access to provide support programs for women's health. Here's how three PBMs — Judi Health, LucyRx and RxPreferred — are putting that strategy into practice.