Psoriasis Guru

...Itching for a Cure

Biologics

...now browsing by tag

 
Alcohol Aloe Vera Biologics Carcinogens Coal Tar Dead Sea Dermatology Diet Eczema Enbrel Health Humira Immunosuppressants Itchiness Menthol Methotrexate Moisturizers Natural Remedies Neutrogena Observations Plaque Psoriasis Product Reviews Psoriasis News Psoriatic Arthritis Psychology PUVA Salicylic Acid Seborrheic Dermatitis Selenium Selsun Blue Shampoo Steroids Stress Sunlight Symptoms T-Gel T-Sal Tips n' Tricks Treatments Types of Psoriasis UV Light Videos Vitamin A Vitamin D Zinc
 

Biologic Psoriasis Treatments

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

Biologic psoriasis treatments are created from living cells developed in a laboratory, rather than chemical or synthetic means. This type of medication has been used for almost a century however, recent technological advancements in molecular biology have brought their usage to the forefront of the medical community.

These drugs are developed to block specific portions of the immune system, rather than impacting the overall immune system, like systemic options. The processes used to create these types of medications involve combining DNA sequences that do not occur naturally. Composition can vary, from proteins, sugars and nucleic acids to cells and tissues.

There are three types of biologics, each developed to treat a variety of medical conditions that have no other treatment regimens. One type is almost identical to naturally occurring signaling proteins. It accelerates blood protein production or growth hormones, depending on its specific properties. The second type, used primarily in rheumatology and oncology, aids the production of antibodies and helps link them in patients who have a natural deficiency, bolstering the body’s immune system. The third type is similar to the antibodies that fight off illness, but are targeted to block specific cell production. It is this type of medication that is used to treat psoriasis.

Psoriasis is an immune disorder, where skins cells are produced at an accelerated rate. Normally, human skin cells mature and shed approximately every 28 days. In a person with psoriasis, this growth cycle may take only three to six days. As there is no cure for the condition, the goal is to reduce the severity of the symptom and to prevent acute flare-ups. Biologics are used to block the abnormal T cell activity in the dermis. This has been found as a primary cause of the condition. Normal activity helps rid the body of fungi, viruses and bacteria.

In psoriasis sufferers, T cells attack the skin in the same manner it would a virus. This leads to skin inflammation and lesions. When T cells activity has been successfully blocked, skin inflammation is reduced. There are several types of psoriasis, from the commonly diagnosed plaque psoriasis to the rare form of erythrodermic psoriasis. Biologics are used to treat only the most severe cases, or cases in which the body has become resistant to more traditional treatments. This type of treatment carries with it higher risks than other treatments. Before beginning this process, doctors and their patients must weigh the risk with the benefits.

Posted in Psoriasis | No Responses »

Big Money in the Psoriasis / Health Industry

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

I found a company called “ResearchAndMarkets.com” that does market research based on a variety of different real-world scenarios so that investors can figure out which companies would give the best return for their money.  In this case, I found a link here to a report about the drug market in relation to psoriasis (treatments for psoriasis) that would cost you about $15,000.00 (depending on how you want that information packaged).

I deduce from this cost that there must be a lot of money in the drug market.  Of course, there is a lot of money floating around in the stock market in general… but the medical industry in particular stands to increase by huge margins for the indefinite future.  This is one of the main reasons why health care costs are supposed to rise steadily.  The general verdict I get from the news is, health care will get less expensive when people don’t get sick any more.

New age drugs such as the biologics designed to treat psoriasis come with a particular hefty price tag.  If you have decent benefits from your employer (or wherever), then your insurance will cover most of this cost… but even a small fraction of tens of thousands of dollars can be expensive for the average person who is struggling just to keep gas in the car.

A solution to this issue might be to find less expensive, more natural means of treating psoriasis.  Otherwise, if there is no other way around these exorbitant costs, then it will come down a battle between insurance companies, drug companies and the regular working class who ultimately pays for everything.

Posted in Psoriasis | No Responses »

Biological Psoriasis Meds an Example of Rising Health Care Costs

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

On my way to work today I heard a story on NPR’s Morning Edition about some deals that the Obama administration and Washington in general is trying to hammer out with major health companies, in particular with PhRMA (pronounced “pharma”), aimed at bringing down health care costs.

A woman with psoriatic arthritis was interviewed briefly to discuss the amazing, improving effect that biologics have had on her condition, all the while draining her health benefits dry every year, down to the last cent.  The name of the biologic she is taking wasn’t mentioned, but she said that each prescription refill costs about $2,000, which is expensive.  But, without it, she wouldn’t be able to walk.   I suspect that the biologic she is taking is Humira.

The point of the story was to juxtapose the amazing benefits of these new “wonder drugs” with the astronomical cost they incur for research and development.  Of course, this cost is eventually passed on to the patient (or the insurance company who picks up the tab).

Such extreme cost make these drugs harder to come by, especially for those with less than stellar health insurance.  In light of this dilemma the Obama administration and other forces in Washington have attempted to strike a deal with major drug companies that is supposed to bring down the cost of health care over the next 10 years by 2 trillion dollars.   I say “supposed to” because this depends on drug companies voluntarily not making as much profit as they otherwise could.  In return for their kindhearted generosity, the government will extend these companies’ exclusive rights to sell expensive biotech drugs (like the one mentioned above) by another 12 years.  This means that there won’t be any less expensive, generic versions of the drugs to compete, thus keeping the cost as high as possible for the next 12 years.

The problem here is that, if drug companies are smart enough to invent space-age biotech drugs, then they’re probably smart enough to do basic financial planning that would leave them coming out on top over the next 10-12 years.   One can only imagine how much they plan on making if they are willing to concede 2 trillion dollars.

Posted in Psoriasis | No Responses »

The Humira Injection Pen

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

As a supplement to my last post about Humira, here is a video of a guy using a Humira injector pen.

The Humira Injection Pen is a custom, disposable device that was created by the makers of Humira to make at-home injections as simple as possible.  The following video demonstrates the fact that, while the device is easy to use, it is not painless.

Posted in Psoriasis | 2 Responses »

« Older Entries