The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has approved Johnson and Johnson’s new psoriasis drug, Stelara, for use in the U.K.  The drug has also been approved for use in Canada but is still under review by the FDA.

It’s also expensive:  10,000 pounds, or about $16,000 USD per year.

Stelara works by targeting two specific proteins that play a major role in the body’s immune system: Interleukin 12 and Interleukin 23.  Regulating these proteins should reduce swelling and bring excessive skin cell production under control.

Administering this new drug should prove to be much more convenient than most other psoriasis treatments — it only needs to be taken 5 times a year via injection.  Thus far it has also proven to be safe.

In light of the unpredictable nature of psoriasis it is good to have as many treatment options, or as many avenues of attack, as possible.  In addition to developing resistance to certain treatments over time, psoriasis can also behave differently depending on the individual in question.  A treatment that works well for one individual might not work for another person and visa versa.

At this stage in the game Stelara is meant to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (this is the most common type of psoriasis).  It is viewed as an option that should be tried only after other alternatives have proved to be ineffective.  This will most likely include a large percentage of the masses who currently suffer from psoriasis since so many are at their wits’ end trying to find an effective treatment for it.