Results were recently announced from a clinical trial of Enbrel (etanercept) used to treat patients with severe plaque psoriatic. The results indicated improvement in the signs and symptoms of plaque psoriatic as well as an increase in functional ability compared to patients given placebo.

In this phase 2 clinical study, 112 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis were randomized evenly to receive 25 mg of Enbrel or placebo twice a week for six months. The primary endpoint of the study was the proportion of patients achieving a 75 percent improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75) after 12 weeks. Patients treated with Enbrel in this study experienced significant improvement compared to those on placebo, with 30 percent of patients on Enbrel achieving PASI 75 compared to 2 percent of those on placebo.

Importantly, patients on Enbrel in this study continued to improve over time. After six months of treatment, approximately half of the patients receiving Enbrel achieved an improvement of 75 percent or better in the PASI score, compared to 5 percent improvement for patients on placebo. In addition, approximately 20 percent of patients receiving Enbrel for six months improved by 90 percent or better, and no patients in the placebo group achieved that level of response.