Brodalumab, an Anti–Interleukin-17–Receptor Antibody for Psoriasis

In this 12-week, phase 2 trial, an anti–interleukin-17–receptor antibody was effective in treating moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Adverse events included neutropenia. Larger trials of longer duration are needed to assess the risk of infections. Psoriasis is a chronic T-cell–mediated autoimmune disease 1 that affects 2 to 3% of the U.S. population 2 , 3 and 0.6 to 6.5% of the European population. 4 Emerging data identify a subset of helper T cells, Th17, that preferentially produce interleukin-17 and play a major role in orchestrating inflammation in psoriasis. 5 – 7 Levels of interleukin-17 are elevated in the lesional skin and blood of patients with psoriasis 5 , 8 – 10 and correlate with disease severity. 11 The interleukin-17 cytokine family consists of six cytokines (interleukins 17A to 17F) and five receptors (interleukins 17RA to 17RE). 12 The interleukin 17A, 17F, and 17A/F heterodimer ligands share . . .