Pfizer-Allergan merger, Stelara study top dermatology reads for week

Pfizer’s announcement of its executive leadership team for the combined Pfizer and Allergan business following the close of the proposed merger of the companies was among the most-read article of the past week on Healio.com/Dermatology.

Other widely read articles included study findings that Stelara was significantly more effective than tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors in treating psoriasis at 6 and 12 months:

Pfizer announces leadership team for combined company after proposed Allergan merger

Pfizer announced in a press release its executive leadership team for the combined Pfizer and Allergan business following the close of the proposed merger of the companies.

Through the closing of the transaction, Pfizer’s Global Innovative Pharma (GIP) business and its Vaccines Oncology and Consumer (VOC) business will operate separately under Albert Bourla, currently group president of VOC, according to the release. When the transaction is complete, the VOC and GIP businesses will combine, with Bourla becoming group president, Global Innovative Pharma, leading the combined businesses, according to the release. Read more

Stelara superior to TNF-α inhibitors in treating psoriasis at 6, 12 months

Stelara was significantly more effective in treating patients with psoriasis compared with three tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors at 6 months and 12 months, according to recently published study results.

Researchers used data from the Psoriasis Longitudinal Assessment and Registry (PSOLAR) study to compare therapeutic responses of 2,076 patients with psoriasis (57.4% male; mean age, 46.5 years) initiating treatment with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors — Remicade (infliximab, Janssen), Humira (adalimumab, AbbVie) or Enbrel (etanercept, Amgen) — or Stelara (ustekinumab, Janssen), which inhibits interleukin-12/23. Data for the analyses was from June 20, 2007 to Aug. 23, 2013. Read more

Phenol, trichloroacetic acid display efficacy in treating acne scars

Trichloroacetic acid and phenol each displayed efficacy in treating acne scars; however, the phenol treatment resulted in less severe complications, according to recently published study results.

Researchers in Brazil conducted a single-blinded, self-controlled clinical trial of 15 patients (80% female; mean age, 28.5 years) with ice pick–type and boxcar type atrophic acne scars between April and October 2012. Read more

FDA approves Sernivo Spray topical steroid for psoriasis

The FDA has approved Sernivo Spray, 0.05%, a topical steroid for treating mild-to-moderate psoriasis in patients aged 18 years and older, according to a press release from Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories.

The approval of Sernivo Spray, 0.05% (betamethasone dipropionate) was granted to Promius Pharma LLC, Dr. Reddy’s U.S. subsidiary, according to the release. A commercial launch of the product is set for next quarter, according to the release. Read more

Rosacea associated with RA, diabetes, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis

Rosacea had a significant association with type 1 diabetes mellitus, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, according to recently published study results.

Researchers in Denmark conducted a population-based, case-control study of 6,759 patients with rosacea (63.2% women; mean age, 40.2 years) and 33,795 controls matched on age, sex and calendar time. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate ORs. Read more