Tim Smith joined the MJH Life Sciences team in 2022 and is currently an associate editor for HCPLive. He is also the executive producer of two podcasts: Skin of Color Savvy and The Medical Sisterhood. Previously, he was the producer of the Lungcast podcast. He graduated from UC Berkeley and worked in multimedia journalism as a staff writer prior to joining MJH. You can contact him at tsmith@mjhlifesciences.com.

 patients do not understand commonly-used skin-cancer–related terms and phrases, with the youngest age cohort scoring significantly lower than older individuals.

Juna Khang, BA, from the department of dermatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, led a team of investigators in authoring this analysis of survey data. Khang et al had sought to explore patient comprehension of cutaneous oncology-related terms, factors impacting understanding, and other related factors.

In this study, the team of investigators highlighted the importance of communicating with patients in dermatology settings with regard to skin cancer-related concerns.

“Effective patient-physician communication is essential to quality health care and impacts health outcomes,” Khang and colleagues wrote.

 “This survey study aimed to assess patient understanding of commonly used cutaneous oncology-related words and phrases and identify factors that influence comprehension.”

The investigators provided an anonymous, voluntary questionnaire to patients at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's general dermatology clinics. This took place during a 2-week timeframe in May 2025. Those who took part in the questionnaire provided demographic information and filled out a series of multiple-choice inquiries designed to assess their awareness of 13 often-used terms related to skin cancer.

In this survey, each question offered only a single correct answer. Those who were visiting for cosmetic concerns, those with cognitive impairment, and those who required interpreter services were not included in Khang et al's analysis. The investigators sought to explore the connection between demographic data and overall comprehension among patients, represented by the mean percentage of correct responses. To do this, they performed multivariable linear regression adjusted for all demographic variables. They defined statistical significance as 

Overall, Khang and coauthors' survey results revealed considerable variation in patients’ familiarity with widely-used terminology used to describe skin cancer and skin cancer management. The questionnaire concentrated primarily on neoplasm-related vocabulary and terms related to diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, so the analysis was unable to capture understanding of language related to inflammatory skin diseases. However, the survey's narrower scope allowed Khang and colleagues to explore specific gaps in skin cancer awareness.

Specifically, among the 182 individuals who met the survey's criteria for eligibility, 166 filled out the full survey. This reflected a 90.4% response rate. Among those who did so, 54.8% were women, 44.6% were men, and 1 subjects identified as nonbinary (0.6%). Scores on patients' comprehension showed significant differences across demographic cohorts. Looking at adults aged 60 years or older, individuals between 18 - 29 years demonstrated significantly poorer performance by comparison, with a β coefficient of –17.88 (95% CI, –28.37 to –7.39; 

Additionally, Khang et al found participants who held graduate-level degrees and those with more than 5 previous dermatology appointments attained the best scores. Specific term awareness was also shown to have varied widely. Nearly all respondent (95.0%) were correctly able to point to the definitions of “skin biopsy” and “topical.” In contrast, however, only 13.6% were aware of the meaning of “actinic."

21.6% were shown to have recognized the definition of “dysplastic nevus.” Roughly 61.1% understood “pathology results,” and 64.2% were able to accurately define “clear margins.” Most of those who responded to the survey successfully recognized basal cell carcinoma (69.9%), melanoma (82.2%), and squamous cell carcinoma (59.4%) as types of skin cancer. However, Khang and colleagues did highlight some of the more notable limitations of their survey and analysis of the results.

Given the number of respondents identifying as Black, Asian, multiracial, or Hispanic/Latino was small, the analysis could not draw reliable conclusions about distinctions specifically across these cohorts of patients. They also highlighted the single-center setting and the general lack of information about factors such as family history or the underlying reason for each dermatology center interaction. The investigative team also highlighted the high level of overall comprehension compared to the general population, pointing to the relatively large proportion of health care workers in the greater Boston region.

“Future research should explore interventions to improve patient education and examine whether tailored language improves understanding and engagement in dermatologic care,” the investigative team concluded.

Khang J, Karatas E, Brag K, et al. Patient Comprehension of Skin Cancer–Related Terminology. JAMA Dermatol. Published online December 10, 2025. 

Street RL Jr, Makoul G, Epstein RM, et al. How does communication heal? Pathways linking clinician-patient communication to health outcomes. Patient Educ Couns. 2009 Mar;74(3):295-301. 

Articles

A recent study highlights a significant gap in dermatology patients' understanding of skin cancer-related terminology, with younger patients scoring lower than older ones. Conducted at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the survey assessed comprehension of 13 common terms, revealing demographic influences on understanding. Higher education and frequent dermatology visits correlated with better scores. While terms like "skin biopsy" were widely understood, others like "actinic" were not. Limitations include a single-center setting and limited racial diversity. Future research should focus on improving patient education and tailored communication strategies.

In this survey, investigators evaluated patients’ comprehension of frequently used cutaneous oncology-related words and looked at factors impacting their comprehension.

Dermatology

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Key Skin Cancer Terms Not Understood by Almost 1/3 of Patients Surveyed

Chelsie Derman is an associate editor for 

who covers psychiatry, sleep medicine, geriatrics, migraine, and allergy. She joined MJH Life Sciences in September 2023 after graduating from The College of New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and professional writing. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing and reading.

Overactive bladder is highly prevalent in women with 

, a new study reported. More than half of the sample had an overactive bladder.

“These findings support the argument that [overactive bladder] may exist only as an extension of the central sensitization process seen in fibromyalgia and not an isolated urological co-morbidity,” wrote study investigator Duygu Kurtulus, from the Ümraniye Training & Research Hospital in Turkey, and colleagues. 1“Physicians should consider routine screening for [overactive bladder] symptoms in [fibromyalgia] patients, and treatment considerations include focusing on integrated strategies where musculoskeletal and visceral symptoms are addressed together.”

Patients with fibromyalgia often experience lower urinary tract symptoms. Previous research has identified a high burden of genitourinary symptoms in fibromyalgia, but most of these studies depended on severity-oriented checklists or self-reported symptoms and did not incorporate validated, gold-standard diagnostic evaluations.

 Thus, the prevalence of urinary tract symptoms in fibromyalgia was not well-defined.

In this cross-sectional analysis, investigators evaluated how common overactive bladder is in women with fibromyalgia and compared their clinical characteristics with non-fibromyalgia controls who presented with similar urinary symptoms.

 The study included 232 women aged 18 – 65 years, with 192 diagnosed with fibromyalgia and 40 age- and symptom-matched controls.

Overactive bladder was diagnosed based on International Continence Society criteria using the Overactive Bladder Awareness Tool Version 8 (OAB-V8; cut-off ≥ 8) and a 3-day bladder diary. Fibromyalgia burden was determined via the Widespread Pain Index (WPI), Symptom Severity Scale (SSS), and the General Symptom Score (GSS). The study also recorded psychiatric comorbidities and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The study identified overactive bladder in 62% of patients with fibromyalgia and 28.6% of controls (

“This discrepancy provides rigorous evidence of a substantial association between [fibromyalgia] and [overactive bladder] and indicates that urinary symptoms in [fibromyalgia] could be more than a product of random overlap between [fibromyalgia] and [overactive bladder]; they could represent a true expression of the underlying fibromyalgia-related pathophysiology,” investigators wrote.

Patients with fibromyalgia who had overactive bladder were significantly older and had longer disease duration than the controls who had overactive bladder (P <.001). These patients also had significantly greater WPI, SSS, and GSS scores than those with fibromyalgia but no overactive bladder and controls with overactive bladder (

Investigators observed moderate correlations between overactive bladder and fibromyalgia symptom severity (

Although the primary objective of this study was to assess overactive bladder prevalence in fibromyalgia, the findings also highlighted a heightened rate of co-occurring conditions among patients with fibromyalgia who experience OAB, including IBS, migraine, anxiety, depression, and obesity. The investigators noted that these comorbidities likely intensify symptom perception, contribute to shared neurochemical dysregulation, and further complicate both diagnosis and management.

The team wrote that the overlap between overactive bladder and fibromyalgia likely stems from shared neurobiological pathways, as central sensitization in fibromyalgia affects circuits involved in both pain processing and bladder sensation. Autonomic dysfunction and neurogenic inflammation further support a biological basis for their co-occurrence.

“There remains a need for a more complete understanding of the central and peripheral mechanisms by which [fibromyalgia] and [overactive bladder] are linked, and further, neuroimaging studies could provide evidence for overlap of pain and bladder circuits and autonomic profiling,” the team concluded. 

“Randomized controlled trials assessing different intervention recommendations, including pharmacological and nonpharmacological, will be integral to developing clinical treatment strategies for this complex group of patients.”

Kurtulus D, Arkan K, Suceken FY, Akgol S, Can B. Assessment of Overactive Bladder in Women With Fibromyalgia Presenting With Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: A Controlled Clinical Study. 

Puri BK, Lee GS. Overactive Bladder Symptoms in Patients with Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Case-Controlled Study. 

A recent study highlights the high prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) in women with fibromyalgia, suggesting it may be an extension of central sensitization rather than an isolated condition. The study found 62% of fibromyalgia patients had OAB, compared to 28.6% of controls. The research underscores the need for routine OAB screening in fibromyalgia patients and integrated treatment strategies. Shared neurobiological pathways, including central sensitization, autonomic dysfunction, and neurogenic inflammation, may explain the co-occurrence. Further research is needed to explore these mechanisms and develop effective interventions.

Evidence shows fibromyalgia patients face higher overactive bladder rates and symptom severity, highlighting the importance of integrated care.

Rheumatology

Rheumatology condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on rheumatologic disease. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for arthritis, gout, nr-AxSpA, and more.

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High Rates of Overactive Bladder Found in Women With Fibromyalgia

Alex Hillenbrand is an assistant editor for 

. She earned her BA in English from Lafayette College in 2023 and went on to write for pop culture, entertainment, and sports media outlets before joining MJH Life Sciences in 2025. In her free time, Alex enjoys cooking, going on walks, and meeting new people. Contact her at mjhlifesciences.com.

approved Innoviva Specialty Therapeutics’ zoliflodacin (Nuzolvence) granules for the treatment of uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhea in adults and children ≥ 12 years of age who weigh > 35 kg.

The approval builds on a December 11, 2025, approval granted to GSK for gepotidacin (Blujepa) oral tablets for adult and pediatric patients ≥ 12 years of age weighing ≥ 45 kg who have limited or no alternative options for the treatment of uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhoea caused by susceptible strains of 

“These approvals mark a significant milestone for treatment options for patients with uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhea,” said Adam Sherwat, MD, director of the Office of Infectious Diseases in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Zoliflodacin is a spiropyrimidinetrione antibacterial that inhibits type II topoisomerase, an enzyme essential for bacterial replication. Its novel mechanism offers an alternative to current antibiotics, addressing growing concerns about gonococcal resistance.

The approval was based on phase 3 study data which compared a single oral 3g dose of zoliflodacin with intramuscular ceftriaxone 500mg plus oral azithromycin 1g. The primary endpoint was microbiological response at the urogenital site at the Test-of-Cure visit, 6 ± 2 days after treatment. Secondary analyses included microbiological cure at rectal or pharyngeal sites and safety outcomes.

In November 2023, the phase 3 zoliflodacin trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating statistical non-inferiority in microbiological cure at the urogenital site compared with the current global standard of care, intramuscular ceftriaxone plus oral azithromycin. The FDA granted Priority Review for zoliflodacin’s New Drug Application in June 2025.

Investigators observed that zoliflodacin demonstrated non-inferiority to ceftriaxone plus azithromycin. In the micro-intent-to-treat (micro-ITT) population (n=744), zoliflodacin achieved a microbiological cure rate of 90.9%, a 5.3% difference compared to ceftriaxone and azithromycin, which achieved a 96.2% cure rate (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 1.4%-8.7%). Microbiological cure rates at extragenital sites were comparable between treatment arms.

Zoliflodacin was generally well tolerated, and the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events was similar between the zoliflodacin and comparison groups (46.2% vs 46.4%). Investigators did not report any deaths or other serious adverse events.

FDA. FDA Approves Two Oral Therapies to Treat Gonorrhea. December 12, 2025. Accessed December 12, 2025. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-two-oral-therapies-treat-gonorrhea 

Smith T. FDA Approves Gepotidacin as Oral Treatment of Uncomplicated Urogential Gonorrhea. HCPLive. December 11, 2025. Accessed December 12, 2025. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/fda-approves-gepotidacin-oral-treatment-uncomplicated-urogential-gonorrhea

Investor Relations - FDA Grants Priority Review for Zoliflodacin New Drug Application for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Gonorrhea and Assigns Target PDUFA Date of December 15, 2025 - Innoviva. Innoviva, Inc. Published 2025. Accessed December 10, 2025. 

https://investor.inva.com/news-releases/news-release-details/fda-grants-priority-review-zoliflodacin-new-drug-application

‌Investor Relations - Innoviva Specialty Therapeutics’ Positive Phase 3 Oral Zoliflodacin Data for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Gonorrhea Announced at ESCMID Global 2024 - Innoviva. Innoviva, Inc. Published 2024. Accessed December 10, 2025. 

https://innovivainc.gcs-web.com/news-releases/news-release-details/innoviva-specialty-therapeutics-positive-phase-3-oral

The FDA has approved Innoviva Specialty Therapeutics' zoliflodacin (Nuzolvence) for treating uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhea in individuals aged 12 and older, weighing over 77 pounds. This approval follows GSK's gepotidacin (Blujepa) approval for similar indications. Zoliflodacin, a spiropyrimidinetrione antibacterial, inhibits type II topoisomerase, crucial for bacterial replication. A phase 3 trial demonstrated zoliflodacin's non-inferiority to ceftriaxone plus azithromycin, achieving a 90.9% microbiological cure rate. The treatment was well tolerated, with similar adverse event rates compared to the standard regimen.

FDA approves zoliflodacin (Nuzolvence) for uncomplicated gonorrhea, offering a new oral treatment amid rising antibiotic resistance.

FDA News

FDA Approves Zoliflodacin (Nuzolvence) Granules for Uncomplicated Urogenital Gonorrhea

Jain is the medical director of the pediatric and young adult program for hemostasis/thrombosis and sickle cell disease at Loma Linda University Children’s Health.

Prophylaxis With von Willebrand Factor VIII Reduces Bleeding in Children, With Akshat Jain, MD, MPH

Prophylaxis with a plasma-derived von Willebrand factor VIII (pdVWF/FVIII) concentrate efficaciously reduces bleeding in patients <6 years with 

67th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition

 by Akshat Jain, MD, MPH, the medical director of the pediatric and young adult program for hemostasis/thrombosis and sickle cell disease at Loma Linda University Children’s Health, these data fill a gap in VWD care. A prior study, WIL-31, demonstrated the efficacy and safety of pdVWF/FVIII in a 1:1 activity ratio in adult, adolescent, and child patients aged ≥6 years. Prior to WIL-33, however, very little data was available for prophylaxis with VWF in patients <6 years with severe VWD.

“Whenever a clinician is faced with a person with such a severe bleeding disorder, the challenge of guidance on how to treat that patient, how to monitor them, is always there,” Jain told 

 in an exclusive interview. “Through this truly global trial, with sites across Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and South America, we’ve truly created a global database.”

WIL-33 was an open-label, non-controlled, international, multicenter, prospective phase 3 study investigating the efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of pdVWF/FVIII prophylaxis and pharmacokinetics in patients <6 years with severe VWD, defined as VWF ristocetin cofactor activity (VWF;RCo) <20%. pdVWF/FVIII was given at a dose of 30-50 international units (IU) per kg over 12 months, 2-3 times per week. The primary endpoint was total annualized bleeding rate (TABR) during prophylaxis, while safety and tolerability were assessed throughout the study.

A total of 12 patients were ultimately enrolled in the trial. Baseline median age was 2 years (range, 1-5), 4 patients (33.3%) had VWD type 2, and 8 patients (66.7%) had VWD type 3. The per-protocol robustness (PPR) set, a subset of the full analysis set (FAS), excluded 3 patients due to deviations from recommended dosing. The mean TABR in the FAS and PR set was 4.6 (standard deviation [SD] 6.1) and 2.7 (1.8), respectively. Mean TABR was 2.1 (1) and 5.8 (7.2) in patients with VWD type 2 and VWD type 3, respectively.

Of 56 total bleeds, >1/3 (22/56; 39%) during prophylaxis in the FAS set were attributed to allergic rhinitis in 1 patient. Mean spontaneous ABR was 0.9 (1.2) in the FAS and 1 (1.3) in the PPR set. The median weekly prophylactic dose was 100 (range, 63-311) and 92 (63-130) IU/kg in the FAS and PPR set, respectively.

Investigators also noted that pharmacokinetic parameters were within the expected ranges. The mean VWF;RCo half-life was 11.7 hours. All 45 bleeds treated with pdVWF/FVIII during the prophylaxis period in 10/12 patients in the FAS group were managed successfully. Epistaxis was the most common bleed type across patients, while only 1 joint bleed was observed during the study. Additionally, most bleeds (95.6%) only required 1 infusion.

“I’m really hopeful that our body of evidence will help impact research for the next 5-10 years to come, and we certainly plan on building upon the work we have done by increasing the cohort size and having a more detailed long-term safety profile in the real world,” Jain said. “Hopefully, these data will be shared at the next meeting.”

Editor's Note: Jain reports disclosures with Hemex Health, Sanofi, NovoNordisk, Blue Bird Bio, and Beam Therapeutics.

Jain A, Leissinger C, Vdovin V, et al. Plasma-derived VWF/FVIII prophylaxis in children under 6 with VWD: First results from wil-33. Abstract presented at the 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. Orlando, FL. December 6-9, 2025.

Sidonio RF Jr, Boban A, Dubey L, et al. von Willebrand factor/factor VIII concentrate (Wilate) prophylaxis in children and adults with von Willebrand disease. Blood Adv. 2024;8(6):1405-1414. 

Videos

Jain describes the phase 3 WIL-33 trial, which marked the first test of pdVWF/FVIII in adolescent patients aged <6 years.

Hematology

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Abigail Brooks is an assistant managing editor for 

She joined MJH Life Sciences in August 2023 shortly after graduating from Monmouth University where she earned her BA in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations/Journalism and later an MA in Interactive Digital Media. She enjoys traveling, running, and reading books. She can be reached at abrooks@mjhlifesciences.com.

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Amgen’s inebilizumab-cdon (Uplizna) for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) in adults who are anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and anti-muscle specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibody positive, offering patients a new targeted treatment option that has the potential for long-term disease control with just 2 doses a year after 2 initial loading doses.

As described in a December 11, 2025, release from the Company, the approval marks inebilizumab-cdon’s third indication and is supported by data from the Myasthenia Gravis Inebilizumab Trial (MINT), the largest phase 3 biologic study to include both AChR+ and MuSK+ patients, and the first to successfully incorporate a steroid taper into its protocol.

"Managing a rare and chronic illness can mean facing unpredictable relapsing symptoms and demanding treatment schedules," Samantha Masterson, president and chief executive officer of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, said in a statement.

 "This approval marks an important milestone, offering durable efficacy and a dosing schedule that provides people living with generalized myasthenia gravis 6 months of treatment-free time between maintenance doses."

Inebilizumab-cdon is a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) that causes targeted and sustained depletion of key cells that contribute to underlying disease process (autoantibody-producing CD19+ B cells, including plasmablasts and some plasma cells). It has previously been approved by the FDA for the treatment of adult patients with anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) in June 2020, and for the treatment of adult patients with Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) in April 2025.

MINT is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of inebilizumab-cdon in adults with gMG. The trial enrolled 238 adults with gMG, including 190 patients who are AChR+ and 48 patients who are MuSK+.

The primary endpoint was change from baseline in MG-ADL score at week 26 in the combined study population. Key secondary endpoints included change from baseline in QMG scores in the combined study population; change from baseline in MG-ADL score at week 26 for the AChR+ cohort and separately the MuSK+ cohort; and change from baseline in QMG score at Week 26 for the AChR+ cohort and separately the MuSK+ cohort. MINT also includes an optional 3-year open-label treatment period.

In MINT, at week 26, inebilizumab-cdon demonstrated a 1.9-point difference in the MG-ADL score compared with placebo (-4.2 vs -2.2; 

<.0001). Benefits in the AChR+ patient subgroup continued through week 52, the longest randomized-controlled period for a phase 3 trial in gMG, with an exploratory analysis of AChR+ patients showing a 2.8-point difference in MG-ADL for inebilizumab-cdon compared with placebo (-4.7 vs -1.9; 95% CI, −3.9 to −1.7).

"[Inebilizumab-cdon] showed strong efficacy at 26 weeks in both AChR+ and MuSK+ patients, with AChR+ patients continuing to improve through 52 weeks in MINT," said Richard Nowak, MD, MS, global principal investigator and director of the Myasthenia Gravis Clinic at Yale University.

 "MINT also uniquely required steroid tapering, recognizing that long-term steroid use adds to the overall burden of disease. This approval brings a new first-in-class approach to gMG, expanding treatment options for clinicians and patients."

Amgen. FDA APPROVES UPLIZNA® FOR ADULTS WITH GENERALIZED MYASTHENIA GRAVIS. December 11, 2025. Accessed December 12, 2025. 

https://www.amgen.com/newsroom/press-releases/2025/12/fda-approves-uplizna-for-adults-with-generalized-myasthenia-gravis

Nowak RJ, Benatar M, Ciafaloni M, et al. A Phase 3 Trial of Inebilizumab in Generalized Myasthenia Gravis. 

The FDA has approved Amgen's inebilizumab-cdon for treating generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) in adults with specific antibodies, marking its third indication. This approval is based on the Myasthenia Gravis Inebilizumab Trial (MINT), the largest phase 3 study for AChR+ and MuSK+ patients, which demonstrated significant efficacy and safety. Inebilizumab-cdon, a humanized monoclonal antibody, offers a novel treatment approach with a biannual dosing schedule. The trial showed significant improvements in MG-ADL scores, particularly in AChR+ patients, and incorporated a steroid tapering protocol.

The approval makes inebilizumab-cdon the first and only CD19-targeted B cell therapy indicated for anti-AChR and anti-MuSK Ab+ generalized myasthenia gravis.

Neurology

Neurology condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on nervous system disorders. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for Alzheimer's disease, brain injury, PTSD, and more.

FDA Approves Inebilizumab-cdon (Uplizna) for Generalized Myasthenia Gravis

Berotralstat (ORLADEYO) oral granules become the first FDA-approved therapy specifically designed to prevent HAE attacks in children aged 2 – 11 years.

Allergy

Allergy condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on allergic and inflammatory diseases. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for food and seasonal allergies, as well as allergic asthma and related conditions.

FDA Approves Oral Berotralstat for Children Aged 2 – 11 Years with HAE  

The approval of a dye- and preservative-free powder formulation of trofinetide offers a new option for adult and pediatric patients with Rett syndrome.

FDA Approves New Powder Formulation of Trofinetide (Daybue) for Rett Syndrome

The phase 3 DISCREET study explored the safety and efficacy of apremilast in treating patients with moderate to severe genital psoriasis over 32 weeks.

Plaque Psoriasis

The HCPLive plaque psoriasis page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on psoriasis. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for psoriatic disease, and more.

Apremilast Effective Treatment for Moderate to Severe Genital Psoriasis at 32 Weeks

2025 data show the US is still failing to adequately identify and initiate care for deadly lung disease. Experts discuss what it will take to turn the tide on this public health issue.

This Year In Medicine

Pulmonology

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Lung Cancer

Getting Through the Door: How COPD, Lung Cancer Screening Remains Minimal

Weight-adjusted waist index outperforms obesity indices for cardiovascular disease prediction in cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome 


Nephrology

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Cardiology

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Weight-Adjusted Waist Index Can Predict CVD Risk in Cardiovascular Kidney Metabolic Syndrome


What are your impressions of the Phase 2b data of zasocitinib in psoriasis, particularly in terms of Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) responses, dose-dependent effects, and tolerability? How do you see these results influencing your real-world patient selection?

Efficacy and Safety of Zasocitinib in Psoriasis and the Ideal Candidates for TYK2 Inhibitors

The panel reviews the HELIOS-B Phase 3 trial evaluating vutrisiran, a transthyretin silencer, in patients with ATTR-CM. Participants were randomized to receive vutrisiran or placebo, with approximately 40% already taking tafamidis at trial entry, particularly in the United States. The study was designed with predefined primary and secondary endpoints, assessing outcomes both in the overall population and in those not on baseline tafamidis. The trial demonstrated statistically significant results across all major endpoints, including reductions in all-cause mortality and cardiovascular hospitalizations, with notable benefit observed both in monotherapy and combination-therapy subgroups.
The panel highlights the magnitude of treatment effect and notes that these findings supported FDA approval of vutrisiran for ATTR-CM. They also emphasize its favorable safety profile, explaining that common adverse events—such as cardiac failure and arrhythmias—reflect the underlying disease rather than the drug itself. Overall, the experts describe vutrisiran as a meaningful and well-tolerated therapeutic advancement for patients with ATTR-CM.


Video Series

Evaluating Efficacy and Safety of Vutrisiran in ATTR-CM from the HELIOS-B Trial

The panelists review EADV 2025 data evaluating whether bimekizumab may help prevent PsA development in patients with psoriasis only. The study followed psoriasis patients prospectively and stratified risk using clinical factors and a patient questionnaire (PASE), treating scores <47 as low risk and ≥47 as high risk. Among patients with >1 risk factor treated with bimekizumab, over 96% maintained PASE scores <47 on longitudinal follow-up—used here as a patient-reported surrogate for not developing PsA symptoms (noting the limitation of no comparator arm). These findings align with real-world practice that prioritizes identifying high-risk patients and monitoring symptom trajectories over time. Overall, the experts interpret the stratified results as supportive—though preliminary—evidence that sustained IL-17A/F blockade may reduce transition to PsA in higher-risk psoriasis populations, while emphasizing the need for prospective, comparative data.

Bimekizumab in Psoriasis: EADV 2025 Insights and Approaches to Patient Monitoring

The panel discusses the concept of achieving a rapid reduction, or “knockdown,” of transthyretin (TTR) production in ATTR-CM. They note that the rationale is intuitive: slowing or halting new amyloid formation as early as possible may help interrupt disease progression. The comparison is made to AL amyloidosis, where shutting down the source of the abnormal protein is central to treatment. However, the panel emphasizes that ATTR-CM develops gradually over many years, and as a result, even when TTR production is reduced, clinical improvement is typically gradual rather than immediate.
The experts highlight the importance of setting realistic patient expectations—treatment reduces ongoing injury but does not rapidly remove existing amyloid deposits. They also discuss the need to understand which symptoms are truly amyloid-related versus coincidental, and they stress the long-term, supportive relationships clinicians build with patients and families, particularly when helping individuals adjust goals and maintain quality of life over time.


Clinical Implications of Rapid Transthyretin Knockdown in ATTR-CM

In this episode, the panelists share clinical perspectives on positioning IL-17 inhibitors within psoriasis treatment. The experts discuss that among available biologic options, IL-17 inhibitors provide rapid and durable skin clearance, making them an important choice for patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. They highlight the significance of dual IL-17A and IL-17F inhibition, noting that it offers greater depth of response compared to targeting IL-17A alone. When selecting therapy, the panel emphasizes tailoring treatment to individual patient factors—such as nail involvement, disease burden, or potential psoriatic arthritis risk. They also consider head-to-head data showing that IL-17 inhibitors can achieve superior outcomes compared with other classes, including IL-23 inhibitors, in certain patient groups. The experts conclude that positioning IL-17 inhibitors early in the treatment algorithm may not only improve skin outcomes but also support prevention of disease progression.

Latest News

Key Skin Cancer Terms Not Understood by Almost 1/3 of Patients Surveyed

High Rates of Overactive Bladder Found in Women With Fibromyalgia

FDA Approves Zoliflodacin (Nuzolvence) Granules for Uncomplicated Urogenital Gonorrhea

Prophylaxis With von Willebrand Factor VIII Reduces Bleeding in Children, With Akshat Jain, MD, MPH

FDA Approves Inebilizumab-cdon (Uplizna) for Generalized Myasthenia Gravis