Raptiva in Palm and Sole Psoriasis

Summary

The primary purpose of the study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Raptiva® compared to placebo in controlling moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis involving palms and/or soles scoring Palmo-plantar Pustular Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PPPASI) ≥5 in subjects that are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapies. The rational of the trial is that psoriasis involving palms and/or soles is a painful condition associated with fissuring, scaling and in some instances with pustulation. Because of its localization, it is a disabling condition that limits dexterity and affects social interaction, leading to compromised quality of life; and this confers additional severity to that of plaque psoriasis on the body. The therapeutic approach for palm and sole plaque-type psoriasis usually begins with topical corticosteroid treatment. If the disease reaches a certain extent, the next step involves the addition of systemic treatments. Substances like methotrexate, retinoids and cyclosporine have shown to be efficacious, but their long-term usage is often limited by toxicity. Biologic treatments for psoriasis avoid this toxicity and offer a new therapeutic approach. The therapeutic potential of Raptiva® to treat palm and sole psoriasis refractory to systemic treatments has been described in numerous case reports and in one placebo-controlled phase IV study. However, in all cases, the number of subjects included was low, and in most cases the trials were not prospectively designed. Since the efficacy of Raptiva® on psoriasis of palms and soles must be determined using the validated PPPASI measure, it is necessary for scientific and ethical reasons to include a placebo arm during the first 12 weeks. Finally, as the clinical response may sometimes take longer than 12 weeks, subjects must be treated and evaluated during an additional 12-week open-label extended treatment period.

Timeline

Start

2008-09

Primary completion

2009-05

Completion

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Drugs

Indications