The U.S. Food and Drugs Administration approved a new medication called Otezla (apremilast) to treat adults with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a form of arthritis that affects many psoriasis patients. Most people develop psoriasis first and are later diagnosed with PsA. Joint pain, stiffness and swelling are the main symptoms of PsA. Today, the FDA approved a new medication called Otezla (apremilast) to treat adults with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Otezla is manufactured for Celgene Corporation.
"Relief of pain and inflammation and improving physical function are important treatment goals for patients with active psoriatic arthritis," said Curtis Rosebraugh, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Office of Drug Evaluation II in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research in a press statement. "Otezla provides a new treatment option for patients suffering from this disease."
The effectiveness of the new medical therapy was tested in three clinical trials involving 1,493 patients with active PsA. Researchers found that patients treated with Otezla showed better improvement in recovering from the condition compared to placebo treatment.
A few guidelines were issued for patients using this therapy. Patients treated with Otezla should have their weight monitored regularly by a healthcare professional. If unexplained or clinically significant weight loss occurs, the weight loss should be evaluated and treatment discontinued. Treatment with Otezla was also associated with an increase in reports of depression compared to placebo.
Most common side effects of the medication observed during the clinical trials included diarrhea, nausea, and headache.
Currently, approved treatments for PsA include corticosteroids, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers and an interleukin-12/interleukin-23 inhibitor.
Psoriatic arthritis goes largely undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Despite its specific symptoms, it can be confused with other chronic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Patients who receive treatment often change or stop therapy altogether. Reasons for this include poor efficacy of medication and lack of health insurance
