( ignificant unmet need among these patie...)Abbott's Investigational Treatment ABT-874 Shows Positive Results,in Phase II Psoriasis Study,Health

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting 125 million people worldwide. About 25 percent have moderate to severe disease. The condition speeds the growth cycle of skin cells and results in thick, scaly areas of skin. The most common form of psoriasis appears as red, raised areas of skin covered with flaky white scales, which may itch or burn. Psoriasis is more than skin lesions; it is painful and can impact many aspects of a person's life from professional and social activities to personal relationships. People with psoriasis may also suffer from poor self-image and social isolation. While psoriasis can occur in people of all ages, it typically appears between the ages of 15 and 35. Currently, there is no cure for psoriasis.

Study Background and Results

One hundred eighty patients with moderate to severe psoriasis were enrolled in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients were randomized evenly to six treatment groups: a single, subcutaneous 200-mg injection of ABT-874 at week zero; 100 mg every other week (eow) for 12 weeks; 200 mg weekly for four weeks; 200 mg eow for 12 weeks; 200 mg weekly for 12 weeks; or placebo. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving 75 percent improvement in the degree and severity of skin lesions after 12 weeks, measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI).

Results at 12 weeks showed ABT-874 was significantly more effective than placebo. At least 90 percent of patients achieved PASI 75 in all ABT-874 treatment groups except the single-dose group (200 mg at week zero). (Results were, respectively, 63 percent, 93 percent, 90 percent, 93 percent, and 90 percent, vs. 3 percent of those receiving placebo; p<0.001 for all groups.) Also, in the same four treatment groups, more than half of patients achieved 90 percent improvement in skin cl
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