Data demonstrating the significant positive impact of Enbrel on the quality of life of psoriasis patients were presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress, Paris. The pivotal CRYSTEL study (Clinical Randomized Year-long STudy assessing the safety and efficacy of EnbreL in psoriasis) showed that Enbrel (etanercept) significantly improves the physical symptoms of psoriasis, accompanied with an improvement in the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms and a significant improvement in patients' quality of life, all sustained over time.
"Psoriasis is more than just a skin disease" says Ottfrid Hillmann, a psoriasis patient and president of EUROPSO, the federation of psoriasis patients' associations in Europe. "Patients with psoriasis may have a quality of life comparable to, or even worse than those individuals with other chronic medical disorders, including heart disease. In addition, those with psoriasis can also experience serious co-morbidities: approximately one third of psoriasis patients suffer from some form of depression or anxiety. This is a worrying thought which should lead us to early diagnosis and patient-centred management of the condition."
Dr Hervé Bachelez, dermatologist and Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France commenting on the new study results, said, "By combining these patient reported outcomes, together with the established safety profile and reliable skin clearance, we are now seeing a more complete picture of the benefits of etanercept in patients with psoriasis. Furthermore, the CRYSTEL study results complement the existing belief that by treating the disease early and aggressively, we can provide patients with meaningful, long-lasting improvements to their daily lives"
Data from another psoriasis trial recently published in the British Journal of Dermatology online demonstrates that the newly-approved European once-weekly dosing regimen of Enbrel provides sustained improvements in patients' quality of life, while at the same time offering a more flexible and convenient treatment option. The results also showed that patients taking Enbrel 50mg once a week experienced a significant improvement in skin clearance, sustained over time.
No differences were observed in rates of serious infections or malignancies among patients in any groups in either of the trials.
Enbrel has a long-established safety profile with over 16 years of proven clinical experience, and is currently the number one prescribed biologic worldwide.
Enbrel is a fully human soluble tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor antagonist. Enbrel was first approved in 1998 for moderate to rheumatoid arthritis and has since been used in nearly 500,000 patients worldwide across indications.
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth, has leading products in the areas of women's health care, infectious disease, gastrointestinal health, central nervous system, inflammation, transplantation, haemophilia, oncology, vaccines and nutritional products.