- IPC GENERAL
- Congress Reports
The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 30th Annual Congress (EADV) was held September 29 – October 2. This event took place virtually due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and the need to put safety first. The program was packed with over 550 world-renowned speakers and 160 scientific sessions and showcased the latest innovations in dermatology and venerology. Thomas Sharnitz, MD, has written a report with summaries on the presentations focusing on psoriasis. You can download the full report here or read on for a brief look at some of the highlights.
IPC SYMPOSIUM
- Lluís Puig, an IPC Board Member, presented Challenging case: A patient with psoriasis and cancer, where he highlighted the need for special considerations in treating cancer patients with psoriasis. Studies have shown that certain psoriasis medications increase the risk of certain malignancies; however, of the current therapies, IL-17 and IL-23 inhibitors appear safe and effective. They also provide a theoretical benefit in both reducing tumorigenesis and overcoming resistance to cancer-specific immune checkpoint inhibitors.
- IPC Councilor, Joseph F. Merola, MD MMSc, presented Personalized care in psoriatic arthritis. He discussed the likelihood of psoriasis patients developing psoriatic arthritis (PsA), managing PsA, and the importance of early diagnosis. Treatment frameworks are available to address PsA domains and comorbidities. Collaboration across multiple specialties improves patient outcomes.
- Treating women with psoriasis was presented by IPC Board Member Mahira Hamdy El Sayed, MSc, MD. During her presentation, she discussed how psoriasis negatively impacts women more than men. She also discussed the challenges pregnant women can experience when treated for psoriasis. Studies have shown most topical medications and phototherapy are safe to use during pregnancy and lactation, Certolizumab-pegol being the safest as it does not cross the placenta.
- IPC Board Member Hervé Bachelez, MD, PhD presented Pustular psoriasis: Distinct disease or part of psoriasis spectrum, where he discussed the differences of Pustular psoriasis (PP) and plaque psoriasis vulgaris (PV), such as in prevalence, therapeutic response, systemic symptoms, and lab abnormalities, they also shared mechanistic commonalities.
LATE-BREAKING NEWS
- Deucravacitinib, an oral, selective tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor, in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: 52-week efficacy results from the phase 3 POETYK PSO-1 and POETYK PSO-2 trials was presented by IPC Councilor Richard Warren, BSc, MBChB, MRCP, PhD. During his presentation, Dr. Warrn summarized the efficacy of deucravacitinib over the 52-week trial, which found Deucravacitinib to be efficacious when compared to placebo (PBO) and apremilast. This result showed great promise in treating moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
- IPC Councilor Linda Stein Gold, MD presented Tapinarof cream 1% once daily for plaque psoriasis: A long-term extension trial of a novel therapeutic aryl hydrocarbon receptor modulating agent. Dr. Stein Gold discussed the results of the long-term, open-label extension trial PSOARING 3 (NCT04053387), assessing safety, efficacy, durability, and duration of remittive effect. Overall, Tapinarof 1% cream has shown significant improvement in PGA scores. It appears durable and is well tolerated with long-term use.
EMERGING DRUGS
- Targeting cytokine pathways in psoriasis was presented by Kamran Ghoreschi, MD. During the presentation, Dr. Ghoreschi discussed IL-17 and IL-23 inhibitors showing exceptional efficacy and long-term safety in plaque psoriasis. This is promising for new medications, including oral JAK pathway inhibitors. While COVID-19 vaccinations concern those receiving biologic therapy, it appears safe and effective in those receiving TNF, IL-17, and IL-23 biologics. However, patients receiving methotrexate should consider a short therapy pause to increase the vaccine efficacy.
GENERAL
- Existing and upcoming small molecules was presented by Eniko Sonkoly, MD, PhD. The small molecules phosphodiesterase (PDE)/cAMP and tapinarof are promising treatment options with potential advantages over biologists of cheaper cost, oral and topical administration. While trials are ongoing, these small molecules could provide an alternative to topical corticosteroids, systemic immunosuppressives, and biologics.
- IPC Board Member Johann Gudjonsson, MD PhD presented Psoriasis: New therapeutic targets based on pathophysiology, in which he explained the complex interactions which may explain the diverse phenotypes found in different psoriasis, including plague, paradoxical, and pustular. He further presented the treatments presently used to treat psoriasis.
- Jose-Manuel Carrascosa presented Psoriasis and comorbidities. He discussed how psoriasis and its comorbidities share similar pathogenic mechanisms through their associated cytokines and components of the metabolic syndrome and the need for further studies regarding targeting system inflammation through biologic medications.
For a more in-depth summary of these lectures, please download the full report.
