Help for psoriasis Imagine facing the world each day with severely cracked, bleeding, and itchy skin, and you may get a sense of the pain endured by people with psoriasis—a pain that goes beyond the physical discomfort that accompanies this devastating chronic condition.

Moderate to severe psoriasis affects approximately 1.5 million people in the United States alone. For some time, they have had many treatment options, from phototherapy to topical creams and other medications. Unfortunately, these options can have shortcomings. Phototherapy and topical treatments are not always practical (creams, for example, may need to be applied several times a day) and may not be very effective. Some treatments, such as cyclosporine or methotrexate, can be extremely effective, but potentially toxic and immunosuppressive over time. "There has been a big unmet need for a treatment that was both generally well-tolerated and effective," says Scott Burton, senior director of Sales and Marketing for ENBREL®.

With ENBREL®, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004 for use in chronic moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, Amgen is attempting to fill that need. In one study, three out of four psoriasis patients taking ENBREL® had dramatic clearing after only three months on therapy. And because ENBREL® has been used since 1998 to treat rheumatoid arthritis, and subsequently other inflammatory conditions, it has a long track record of real-world patient experience.

"It's hard to overstate the impact of this disease; people feel incredibly ostracized," Burton says. "It's wonderful how happy they are when their skin finally starts to clear."

Ahead of the class In 2004, ENBREL® had more approved uses than any other TNF inhibitor: It is indicated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis of the spine), psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis. The psoriasis indication means that ENBREL® will now benefit many more patients in the United States. Amgen has also filed for a psoriasis indication for ENBREL® in Canada.

Also in 2004, the FDA approved a new 50 mg/mL pre-filled syringe that can be administered once weekly for most patients. Before, patients had to mix and inject ENBREL® twice a week. "What was a 14-step process is now much simpler, which is especially appreciated by patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis," explains Helen Jordan, director of Rheumatology Marketing for ENBREL®.