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A new psoriasis drug has proven effective in human clinical trials
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Leading pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has completed the third stage of clinical trials of a new drug for psoriasis. At this stage, specialists are using the working name of the drug – ixekizumab. During the research, experts were able to prove that the drug helps prevent plaque formation better than the placebo used in the experiment.
In addition, the specialists compared the effectiveness and safety of various dosages of both the new drug and placebo. The duration of the experimental treatment was 3 months and 1.3 years. During the experiment, the scientists also compared the effect of ixekizumab with etanercept (an immunomodulator used to treat psoriasis).
The reduction in psoriatic lesions was assessed by specialists using special parameters.
The experimental treatment involved patients with severe and moderate forms of the disease.
After the first experimental stage ended after three months, the scientists concluded that treatment with the new drug reduced skin lesions by 75% in about 85% of patients (the drug was given at 80 mg every two or four weeks). In about 35% of volunteers, psoriatic lesions completely disappeared after the full course of treatment.
Complete skin clearance was noted in 5% of patients after combination therapy with etanercept and placebo.
During treatment with ixekizumab, adverse reactions from the upper respiratory tract (inflammation of the nose and throat), headaches, and inflammation at the injection site occurred quite often.
At this stage, the pharmaceutical company plans to register a new drug and at the beginning of next year, specialists will submit the results of their studies and an application for registration of ixekizumab to regulatory authorities.
The experimental drug ixekizumab was released in the spring of 2012. At that time, the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly announced the development of a new drug that helps cope with psoriasis.
Psoriasis, also known as psoriasis, is an inflammatory skin disease that affects both women and men equally.
The disease is characterized by the appearance of uniform rashes on the skin in the form of plaques, the diameter of which can reach 3 cm, the rashes are pink-red in color, covered with loose whitish scales.
The rashes can unite into plaques of different shapes and sizes, such plaques can occupy a fairly large area of skin. Plaques usually form on the extremities, in the area of bends (elbow and knee joints, scalp, and torso are especially susceptible to rashes).
There are several types of the disease: arthropic, exudative, pustular, common psoriasis and psoriatic erythroderma.
Treatment of psoriasis is usually aimed at reducing the inflammatory process on the skin. The prescription of drugs takes into account the stage, type, prevalence of rashes, concomitant diseases, and the patient's age.
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