a study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of efalizumab in adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis with involvement of the scalp

Conditions: Psoriasis

Summary: this was a phase iv randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous efalizumab in adult patients (18 years of age and older) with chronic moderate to severe plaque psoriasis with involvement of the scalp who had no previous exposure to efalizumab. the study consisted of a screening period, a double-blind treatment period, an open-label treatment period, and an observation/follow-up period. the study enrolled 100 patients. 11 patients were excluded from all analyses because of data issues.

* baselines for raptiva group and placebo group at day 84 are the same. the baseline is day 0. * baselines for raptiva group and placebo group at day 168 are different. the baseline for raptiva group at day 168 is day 0, but the baseline for placebo group at day 168 is day 84

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * provide written informed consent and health insurance portability and accountability act of 1996 (hipaa) documents * be aged 18 years or older * have chronic (6 months or greater) moderate to severe plaque psoriasis with involvement of the scalp * have a whole body physician's global assessment (pga) rating of moderate (3) or severe (4) for psoriasis * have a scalp surface area affected by plaque psoriasis of 30% or more, assessed using psoriasis scalp severity index (pssi) * have at least one of three clinical signs involving the scalp (erythema, induration, and desquamation) be rated as at least moderate (2) with the other two rated as at least slight (1) using pssi * be a candidate for systemic therapy in the opinion of the investigator * be naive to efalizumab treatment * for women of childbearing potential, must be willing to use a method of contraception acceptable to the investigator to prevent pregnancy and agree to continue to practice an acceptable method of contraception for the duration of their participation in the study and for 6 weeks after the last dose of efalizumab exclusion criteria: * have had previous exposure to efalizumab or a history of hypersensitivity to any of its components * are using any excluded therapy * have a history of drug or alcohol abuse in the past five years * have a history in the past 5 years of a serious infection or currently have an ongoing uncontrolled bacterial, viral, fungal, or atypical mycobacterial infection * have any history of opportunistic infections (e.g., systemic fungal infections, parasites) * are seropositive for hepatitis b antigen, hepatitis c antibody, or human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) * have a history of active tuberculosis or are currently undergoing treatment for tuberculosis, including latent tuberculosis with isoniazid * have the presence or history of malignancy within the past 5 years, including lymphoproliferative disorders * are pregnant or breastfeeding * have a diagnosis of hepatic cirrhosis, regardless of cause or severity * have a history in the last 5 years of thrombocytopenia * have a history in the last 5 years of hemolytic anemia or any other clinically significant anemia * have been exposed to any experimental and/or unapproved drugs or treatments within 30 days or 5 half-lives, whichever is longer, before the screening visit * have been vaccinated with a live virus or live bacteria within the 14 days before the first dose of efalizumab * have any medical condition that, in the judgment of the investigator, would jeopardize the patient's safety following exposure to study drug (efalizumab or placebo equivalent) or would significantly interfere with the patient's ability to comply with the provisions of this protocol

Keywords: raptiva moderate plaque psoriasis severe plaque psoriasis scalp