Fw: HEALTH TIPS - New Drug For Psoriasis - 08/08/01

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> NEW DRUG FOR PSORIASIS

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> A new drug shows initial promise as a treatment for

> psoriasis, a chronic skin disease that affects more

> than 7 million Americans. The drug Xanelim

> (Efalizumab), developed by Genentech Inc. of South

> San Francisco and Xoma Ltd. of Berkeley, Calif.,

> was shown to reduce symptoms in patients with mod-

> erate to severe plaque psoriasis after weekly

> injections. Some patients improved after 12 weeks

> and others responded after 24 weeks of treatment.

> " The primary goal in psoriasis therapy is to safely

> maintain long-term control of psoriasis with maxi-

> mum patient convenience, " said Dr. Tyring,

> professor of dermatology, microbiology and immun-

> ology and internal medicine at the University of

> Texas Medical School at Galveston. " These data

> indicate that, if approved by the FDA, Xanelim may

> offer physicians a new treatment option for sus-

> tained psoriasis control and the added patient con-

> venience of at-home subcutaneous administration. "

> The results of the Phase III clinical trial were

> presented at the annual meeting of the American

> Academy of Dermatology in Anaheim.

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