text_1: Drug for refractory psoriatic arthritis shows promise in clinical trial
text_2: This relatively thorough news release summarizes the results of a 24-week randomized trial of the biologic drug ixekizumab (marketed as Taltz) in patients with psoriatic arthritis. While the release hits most of the key points that any journalist might ask when writing about this study, it offers too little discussion of harms and no mention of the drug’s cost. People with psoriatic arthritis often have painful, red, scaly patches on their skin and they may not be effectively treated with TNF inhibitors (drugs commonly used to treat inflammatory conditions). If only half of psoriatic arthritis patients get better with TNF inhibitors then another option would be most welcome for those that have found no relief. The drug under study, ixekuzumab, appears to be effective in reducing symptoms of joint tenderness and swelling, and if it can provide these benefits at a reasonable level of safety, this could be a great advance. At the same time, if the goal of treatment is to prevent long-term complications of psoriatic arthritis (severe joint and bone damage and functional disability), we are still left wondering if this potential new treatment represents a benefit beyond 6 months for psoriatic arthritis sufferers.