Effect of Apremilast and Etanercept on Pruritus and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis : Results From the LIBERATE Study

Psoriasis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disease with skin maniifestations resulting from a dysregulated immune response. Itching is one of the most bothersome psoriasis symptoms for patients and important factor contributing to disease severity. Apremilast , is an oral small-molecule phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor, works intracellularly within immune cells to regulate the production of inflammatory médiators associated with the pathogenesis of psoriasis by increasing cyclic adenosine monophophate (cAMP) levels. Apremilast was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of adult patients with patients with active psoriatic arthritis and for patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Apremilast has since been approved in multiple countries, including those in European Union,as well as Switzerland, Canada and Australia. LIBERATE (Evaluation in Placebo-Controlled Study of Oral Apremilast and Etanercept in Plaque Psoriasis; NCT01690299) is global phase 3b study evaluating the efficacity, safety, and tolerability of apremilast or etarnercept, compared with placebo, for the treatment of biologic-naive patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.