Biologic therapy for psoriasis: an update on the tumor necrosis factor inhibitors infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab, and the T-cell-targeted therapies efalizumab and alefacept

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder that affects approximately 2% of the US and European population. Over the last several years, one of the major focuses in psoriasis research has been the development of biologic therapies for this disease. The aim of these therapies is to provide selective, immunologically directed intervention with fewer side effects than traditional therapies. The goal of this article is to update the progress of the tumor necrosis inhibitors which are available, or under investigation, for clinical use in psoriasis: infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab, as well as the T-cell-targeted therapies efalizumab and alefacept (Table 1).