Apremilast Also Addresses Manifestations of Psoriatic Arthritis

In an industry theater presentation at Pri-Med Midwest 2022, Veronica Anwuri, MD, Family Medicine Specialist at St. Luke's Medical Group, spoke about the effects of apremilast (Otezla) on patients with plaque psoriasis. In an interview with HCPLive, she went over the highlights from her talk "Look Beyond the Skin: An Oral, Nonbiologic Treatment Option for Adult Plaque Psoriasis".

In addition to addressing the complications that coexist with the condition, such as the frustration that comes with resistance to treatment and the embarrassment that patients deal with because of the visibility of the condition, she also spoke about how apremilast is beneficial for manifestations of psoriatic arthritis.

"What we learned is that patients with psoriasis–80-85% have the skin findings that you'll see, but up to 35% of those patients will have psoriatic arthritis as well," Anwuri explained.

Apremilast is the first oral, non biologic, psoriatic medicine. It's not uncommon for patients with plaque psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis to try topical treatments that don't offer any relief for their skin symptoms. This is the target population for apremilast, according to Anwuri.

"The joints that are covered by psoriasis rash–those are going to have pain–but they also have systemic pain as well," she continued. "So, finding an oral non biologic that they don't have to do lab work for, they don't have to follow up with multiple specialists, finding a medicine that treats the systemic illness, and treats that arthritis pain too, is key."

For more information about apremilast from Dr. Veronica Anwuri, watch the rest of her interview with HCPLive.