Top five dermatology stories in July include psoriasis studies, FDA approval

Study results reporting that nail findings distinguished patients with psoriatic arthritis from those with psoriasis without arthritis was among the top read articles in July on Healio.com/Dermatology.

Other widely-read articles included the FDA’s approval of Tremfya for treating adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy, and research finding that patients with lung cancer who received immunotherapy experienced hair repigmentation:

Nail findings distinguish between psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis

Nail findings distinguished patients with psoriatic arthritis from those with psoriasis without arthritis, with transverse grooves being a significant factor, according to published study results in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis between July 2003 and February 2015 at the dermatology department of St. Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo of 118 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA; mean age at first visit, 47.7 years; 46.6% female) and 974 patients with psoriasis and without arthritis (mean age at first visit, 50.9 years; 36.2% female). Read more

FDA approves Tremfya for psoriasis

Janssen Biotech announced that the FDA has approved Tremfya for treating adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy.

Tremfya (guselkumab), a human monoclonal antibody, is the only approved biologic therapy that selectively blocks interleukin 23 (IL-23), according to a news release. Read more

How to look at private equity investment in physician groups: Dermatology

In the first of six articles from the lawyers from Epstein Becker & Green and the analysts from Provident Healthcare Partners, LLC, Steven Grassa and Gary W. Herschman, Esq., delve into the hot sector of dermatology, explaining how private equity investment is growing in this field. Read more

Immunotherapy for lung cancer leads to hair repigmentation

Patients with lung cancer who received immunotherapy experienced hair repigmentation, with the majority also experiencing good clinical response, according to published study results in JAMA Dermatology.

Researchers in Barcelona, Spain, conducted a case series of 14 patients (mean age, 64.9 years; 13 men) with lung cancer who experienced hair repigmentation after anti-programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD-1) and anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) therapy. Read more

Novartis confirms 5-year efficacy for Cosentyx for psoriasis

Novartis has reported positive 5-year efficacy and safety results for Cosentyx from a phase 3 long-term extension study in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

The Sculpture extension study of secukinimab for treating moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis was designed to measure long-term safety and efficacy during a double-blind period for up to 4 years and open-label period for up to year 5, with the data analysis for secukinumab including all patients who reached a PASI 75 response at week 12 and subsequently received continuous treatment with 300mg secukinumab through the end of year 5. Read more