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The European Commission has issued Abbott with marketing authorisation for Humira (adalimumab) to be used as a treatment for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.
The drug is the first fully human, self-injectable biologic for the treatment of the condition.
In one clinical trial, more than 80% of patients taking Humira achieved skin clearance of at least 75%, while almost three quarters of patients in another trial achieved 75% clearance.
Psoriasis is the fifth approved indication for Humira in the EU, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also carrying out a regulatory application for the drug to treat psoriasis.
Eugene Sun, vice-president of global pharmaceutical clinical development at Abbott, said: “Patients taking Humira for psoriasis experienced rapid, significant skin clearance and maintained improvement for up to a year.
“This fifth indication for Humira demonstrates its versatility in effectively treating multiple autoimmune disorders from rheumatoid arthritis to Crohn’s disease and now psoriasis.”
Psoriasis is a non-contagious, chronic autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack itself. The most obvious physical symptom of the condition is raised, inflamed, scaly, red skin lesions, which are known as plaques, which may crack and bleed.
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