New data, generated by Thomas Jung and colleagues, at Novartis Exploratory Development, Switzerland, have indicated that a drug known currently as AEB071 can reduce the clinical symptoms of psoriasis, a chronic, currently incurable autoimmune skin disease.

In the study, healthy volunteers and patients with psoriasis were administered AEB071 by mouth. Different groups of individuals received different doses of the drug, but all doses were well tolerated with no obvious side effects. The decrease in the clinical symptoms of psoriasis was associated with a decreased ability of immune cells known as lymphocytes to divide and express a soluble factor known as IL-2. The authors therefore suggest that AEB071 might be an effective new treatment for psoriasis, although they caution that further clinical trials are needed to more clearly establish that the drug is safe and effective.

"The PKC inhibitor AEB071 may be a therapeutic option for psoriasis"
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Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI)

The JCI is the publication of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, an honor society of physician-scientists.

Journal of Clinical Investigation