Injections to treat psoriasis: Types, benefits, and risks

Good overview of the ever increasing complexity of biologics......

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The injection medications used to treat psoriasis are known as biologic drugs, or simply "biologics."

These medications are made from living cells grown in a laboratory. Special types of proteins are harvested from these cells. They can then be used to target specific immune system proteins that can cause cells to grow too fast.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved several medications to treat psoriasis.

These medicines will target special T cells in the immune system. They also stop proteins in the immune system from growing.

Examples of these proteins include tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-17A, or interleukins-12 and -23.

Doctors only usually prescribe these medicines when a person's psoriasis is moderate to severe.

Interleukin-12 and -23

The proteins interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interleukin-23 (IL-23) are linked to psoriasis symptoms.

By blocking the actions of these proteins, a person may have less psoriasis inflammation. The medication ustekinumab (Stelara) is FDA-approved to treat psoriasis.

Interleukin-17A

Similarly to interleukin-23, interleukin-17A is associated with causing an immune system reaction that can lead to psoriasis.

Examples of FDA-approved psoriasis injections that block interleukin-17A include secukinumab (Cosentyx) and ixekizumab (Taltz).

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha blockers

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha blockers (TNF-alpha blockers) are those that stop a protein known as a cytokine from causing inflammation in the body.

When a person has a condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis, the body produces too much TNF-alpha. By blocking production, a person should not have psoriasis skin symptoms.

The FDA have approved the following TNF-alpha blockers to treat psoriasis:

The medication Remicade is delivered via intravenous (IV) infusion instead of a standard injection.