20 June 2017
Several Biologics Approved to Treat Psoriasis in Children
NICE has published its decision to recommend Adalimumab, Etanercept and Stelara (Ustekinumab) for the treatment of children with severe psoriasis.
Adalimumab, Etanercept and Stelara (Ustekinumab) are all biologic treatments that are already used to treat psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in adults. This decision from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) means that these treatments will now also be options for children with severe plaque psoriasis in England and Wales too.
NICE recommends that:
- Adalimumab can be used to treat plaque psoriasis in children from the age of four and above;
- Etanercept can be used to treat plaque psoriasis in children from the age of six and above;
- Stelara (Ustekinumab) can be used to treat plaque psoriasis in children from the age of 12 and above.
All three of these treatments are recommended only when:
- The child/young person's psoriasis is severe (as defined by a total Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) of 10 or more), and;
- When the child/young person's psoriasis has not responded to standard systemic treatments (including ciclosporin, methotrexate or phototherapy), or they cannot tolerate these treatments.
This is good news for children and young people with severe psoriasis, as it means that treatments that have been available to adults with severe psoriasis for many years are now available to them too. Each person’s psoriasis is different – a treatment that works for one may not necessarily work for another – and so it is important that people with the condition, including children, have access to the largest possible range of treatments.
You can find more information on how each of these treatments work, as well as their dosing regimens and possible side effects by clicking the following links: