PsA is not RA

The failure of psoriasis drug Raptiva efalizumab to show efficacy in a Phase II trial in psoriatic arthritis may indicate that the disease, present in a subset of people with psoriasis, involves more underlying autoimmune and inflammatory mechanisms than those in psoriasis. Investigators on the trial said that the data reinforce the idea that joint inflammation involves a greater variety of cells than are at work in the skin.

In the 107-patient trial by partners Genentech Inc. and Xoma Ltd., Raptiva did not produce a statistically significant difference at 12 weeks in ACR 20 response, the primary endpoint for the psoriatic arthritis (PsA) trial...