Data from the trial, named ‘Adept’, showed that patients receiving Humira experienced an improvement in quality of life during a 24-week period. Following 24 weeks of treatment, 42% of patients given Humira had at least a 90% improvement in their skin symptoms compared with no patients in the placebo group.
Psoriatic arthritis combines the symptoms of arthritis, such as joint pain and inflammation, with the dry, scaly skin of psoriasis.
Humira is already approved in the US and Europe for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Both regulatory agencies are also now reviewing the drug as a treatment for psoriatic arthritis.
“Psoriatic arthritis impedes quality of life by attacking patients on two fronts – their joints and their skin,” said Dr Mark Weinberg, global medical director, Immunology Development, Abbott. “The Adept findings are very encouraging because they show the potential Humira has in addressing this devastating combination of symptoms.”