New Insights on the Molecular Drivers of IL-23 Blockade in Psoriasis
A high-resolution spatial and transcriptomic atlas of IL-23 blockade in skin provides new insights on treatment response and resistance in psoriasis patients. Psoriasis vulgaris and other chronic inflammatory diseases improve markedly with therapeutic blockade of IL-23 signaling, but the genetic mechanisms underlying clinical responses remain poorly understood. The study, which was led by Enable Medicine […]
News You Can Use: Verrica Receives Permanent J-Code for YCANTH
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a permanent J-Code (J7354) for Verrica’s YCANTH, a molluscum contagiosum treatment. Under the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) process, the J-Code for YCANTH will become fully published April 1, 2024. “By securing a permanent J-Code for YCANTH, we have successfully reached a critical milestone in our […]
PsO Far, PsO Good for Can-Fite’s Oral A3 Adenosine Receptor Agonist
Oral piclidenoson continues to show efficacy and safety in psoriasis, according to the first Phase 3 data which appears in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. Can-Fite’s piclidenoson is a novel, first-in-class, A3 adenosine receptor agonist (A3AR) small molecule, orally bioavailable drug that has shown efficacy in Phase II and III psoriasis […]
Arcutis’ Roflumilast Foam Continues to Impress in Seb Derm
Roflumilast foam, 0.3% (Zoryve, Arcutis) bests vehicle in the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis, with 80% of individuals achieving Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) success and 51% of individuals reaching complete clearance at Week 8, according to new research published in the February 2024 issue of the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology. Zoryve foam was approved by […]
Imaging One Week After Immunotherapy May Predict Treatment Response in Advanced Melanoma
F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT imaging of tumors in patients with advanced melanoma receiving pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck) after just one week may predict treatment response, according to a study in Clinical Cancer Research. Typically, these immunotherapy patients are imaged around three months after starting treatment to monitor their progress. For the study, Michael D. Farwell, MD, an associate […]
CDC: More than 90 Americans Have Died After Cosmetic Surgery in the Dominican Republic
Ninety three Americans died after undergoing cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic since 2009, with many of the recent deaths involving the Brazilian butt lift, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. The number of deaths after cosmetic surgery among U.S. citizens in the Dominican Republic increased from a mean of 4.1 per year […]
Deucravacitinib Shows Efficacy Signal in Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus
Deucravacitinib (Sotyktu, Bristol-Myers Squibb) may help improve cutaneous manifestations in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, according to a late-breaking study presented at MauiDerm 2024. Deucravacitinib is a first-in-class, oral, selective, allosteric tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor approved in multiple countries for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. In the 48-week, double-blind, phase […]
Harnessing Skin Cancer Genes to Heal Hearts
BRAF mutations in skin cancers may help repair cardiac muscle after a heart attack, according to a study in Science Advances. BRAF is a part of the MAPK signaling pathway that can promote cell division, In a new study, researchers show that introducing this mutation to rat heart tissue grown in a laboratory can induce growth. “Mature […]
FDA to Allow Florida to Import Prescription Drugs From Canada: “A Hopeful, Albeit Small, Step in the Right Direction.”
By Ted Rosen, MD As pointed out by Larry Eichenfield, MD, during today’s acne panel at Maui Derm 2024, recently approved novel agents provide real advances in therapeutic benefit. However, access to these innovations remains frustrating due to insurance and price considerations. We have long known that many identical drugs are available in Canada at […]
Head to Head Study: LEO Pharma’s Delgocitinib Cream Bests Alitretinoin for Severe Chronic Hand Eczema
Delgocitinib cream demonstrated a superior reduction in Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) score from baseline to Week 12 compared to alitretinoin capsules in people with severe chronic hand eczema, according to results from the DELTA FORCE Trial, which is the first head-to-head phase 3 trial comparing a systemic and topical treatment for CHE. Delgocitinib cream also […]