Psoriasis injection therapy launches via online broadcast

The world's first therapy that targets a certain type of cytokine that plays a key role in psoriasis was launched in the Chinese market via an online live broadcast on Tuesday.

Medical experts said that the therapy provided a significant stride in treating patients suffering from modrate to severe plaque psoriasis, which affects about 1 million people in China.

The injection Tremfya by Xi'an Janssen Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a pharmaceutical subsidiary of the United States-based Johnson & Johnson in China, was put on the Chinese market after being granted permission by the China National Medical Products Administration in December.

"The cytokine that the therapy targets functions as the core regulator on the pathogenic pathway of the disease and the injection can thereby realize long-lasting skin lesion removal," said Jin Hongzhong, director of dermatology at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital in Beijing.

Such a long-lasting removal effect on a skin lesion was testified in the stage III global clinical trials, the company said. More than 70 percent of patients showed at least 90 percent of their skin lesions removed at the 16th week, and the response rate remained at almost the same level at the 48th week.

The company said no sign has been detected throughout the clinical trials that the therapy will increase the risk of malignant tumors, cardiovascular diseases or severe infections.