Background: Efalizumab is a T cell-targeted therapy for psoriasis.
Objective: We sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of long-term, continuous efalizumab therapy.
Methods: Of 339 patients enrolled in this ongoing, open-label, phase III study, after 3 months 290 qualified for and entered the maintenance treatment phase.
Results: Results for the first 27 months of this 36-month continuous therapy trial are available. At month 3, 41% of patients achieved at least a 75% reduction in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score; at month 27, 47% achieved at least a 75% reduction in PASI score (intent to treat, n = 339). Among patients eligible for maintenance therapy (n = 290), 56% achieved at least a 75% reduction in PASI score at month 27. Moreover, the at least 90% reduction in PASI score rate increased through 18 months (33%). The safety profile with efalizumab was sustained throughout 27 months of continuous treatment with no new common events over time.
Limitations: Because the extended treatment period was not a randomized clinical trial, no formal comparative analyses versus placebo were conducted. Three-month placebo data from randomized, parallel, placebo-controlled studies are briefly discussed.
Conclusions: These results suggest that efalizumab maintains, and in some patients continues to improve, efficacy during long-term therapy.