Certolizumab pegol a strong contender in chronic plaque psoriasis

The novel tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α antagonist certolizumab pegol [Cimzia] may be an effective treatment option for patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis, according to results from a phase II study presented at the 65th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) [Washington, District of Columbia, US; February 2007]. A significantly greater proportion of patients treated with certolizumab pegol than placebo experienced a ≥ 75% improvement in their Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score at 12 weeks. Furthermore, a significantly greater proportion of certolizumab pegol-treated patients achieved a Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) rating of clear or almost clear at the same time point, compared with placebo recipients.