Breakthrough FDA-approved treatments transform psoriasis care for all ages
Breakthrough FDA-approved treatments transform psoriasis care for all ages
Breakthrough FDA-approved treatments transform psoriasis care for all ages
New treatments for psoriasis have expanded in recent years, offering patients more options for managing the condition. The FDA has approved several drugs—both topical and injectable—since 2016, targeting different forms and severities of the disease. These advancements include medications for children as well as adults, with some requiring less frequent dosing than older therapies.
In April 2019, the FDA approved risankizumab-rzaa (Skyrizi) for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The drug blocks the protein interleukin-23 (IL-23) and is administered as two subcutaneous injections, four weeks apart, followed by a dose every three months.
Two years later, in July 2020, Wynzora received approval as a once-daily topical treatment for psoriasis. That same month, Avsola (infliximab-axxq) became the latest in a series of infliximab biosimilars cleared for use, joining Inflectra (2016), Renflexis (2017), and Ixifi (2019). These biosimilars provide interchangeable alternatives to the original biologic.
For younger patients, secukinumab (Cosentyx) was approved in June 2020 for children aged six and older. Earlier, in 2019, calcipotriene foam (Sorilux, 0.005%) gained approval for children as young as four, targeting plaque psoriasis on the scalp and body.
More recently, roflumilast (Zoryve) was cleared in July 2022 as a topical treatment for plaque psoriasis, suitable even for sensitive areas like skin folds. A month before, tapinarof (Vtama) was approved for mild to severe plaque psoriasis, requiring just one daily application. Meanwhile, bimekizumab (Bimzelx), approved for moderate to severe cases, works by blocking inflammatory proteins and is injected every four weeks for the first 16 weeks, then every eight weeks thereafter.
Beyond these, JAK inhibitors remain under investigation in clinical trials, showing potential as another effective and safe option for moderate to severe psoriasis.
The range of FDA-approved psoriasis treatments has grown significantly, from daily topicals to long-acting injectables. Options now exist for different age groups and severity levels, with some therapies requiring less frequent administration. Ongoing research into JAK inhibitors may further expand choices for patients in the future.