Infections Associated with Biologic and Small Molecule Therapies in Psoriatic Arthritis and Psoriasis

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To summarize our most current understanding of the real world risk of infections associated with biologic and small molecule therapies in the setting of psoriatic disease.

Recent Findings

Patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis are at increased risk for infection from both their disease and some of their therapies. There is little real world data for biologic and small molecule therapies; however, ustekinumab and biologics inhibiting IL-17 or IL-23 appear to have reduced risk estimates compared to anti-TNF therapies. Apremilast seems to have little infectious signal with limited real world data, and for JAK inhibitors, limited real world data suggest a higher risk of herpes zoster.

Summary

Recently approved targeted and small molecule therapies for psoriasis carry infectious risks for patients, although they appear to vary across mechanism of action. As these treatments become more widespread, and additional therapies are approved, it will be imperative to evaluate their safety in the context of real world data.