SDPA Fall 2018 | Product Theater | Are Your Topical Patients Systemic-Ready? An Oral Treatment Option for Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis

At the first product theater on day 3 of the 16th Annual Fall Dermatology Conference, Dr. Firas Hougeir shared his extensive knowledge and experience in the treatment of patients with psoriasis with his lecture entitled Are Your Topical Patients Systemic-Ready? An Oral Treatment Option for Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis.

Dr. Hougeir started his lecture discussing the challenges providers face when using topical therapies for long-term use (i.e. complex administration, need for large quantities, and poor compliance). In addition, topical therapies may be difficult to use in areas such as scalp and nail psoriasis. He also discussed some of the top 5 concerns providers have when using older, more traditional oral therapies – long-term safety, tolerability, lifestyle modifications, need for lab monitoring and lack of response.

Dr. Hougeir then introduced Otezla (apremilast), an oral phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor, that is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and in adults with active psoriatic arthritis. He discussed that PDE4 is thought to be an important component of the inflammatory response in psoriasis.

Warnings and precautions for prescribing Otezla include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and potentially depression in patients with a history of depression and/or suicidal thoughts/behaviors.
Dr. Hougeir discussed clinical trials showing that Otezla demonstrated significant increase in patients achieving PASI-75 by week 16 of use, and long-term safety profile through 3 years was consistent with that observed through week 16.