Burden of Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis and New Therapeutic Approaches (Secukinumab): An Italian Perspective

ABSTRACT: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease commonly categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. Moderate-to-severe psoriasis is associated with significant comorbidity and has been shown to severely impair quality of life. Moreover, psoriasis is associated with high costs, including those associated with treatment, which have increased recently with the inclusion of biological systemic agents (most recently secukinumab) as available treatment options. However, despite clear evidence of their value in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, in Italy access to the biological agents remains limited to dermatological centers originally involved in the Psocare network. The impact of secukinumab entry into the market in Italy is still to be determined, but we believe that it will be associated with significant changes in the way in which biological treatments for psoriasis are accessed and prescribed in Italy. It is noteworthy that in January 2015, the European Medicines Agency approved secukinumab as first-line systemic therapy in this indication. FUNDING: Novartis, Italy.