Editorial

I am pleased to begin my tenure as Editor-in-Chief with this issue of Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials. This journal publishes frontier reviews on recent clinical trials of major importance. The journal's aim is to publish the highest quality review articles in the field. Topics covered include important Phase I - IV clinical trial studies, clinical investigations at all stages of development, and therapeutics. It is our hope that this journal will be essential reading for all researchers and clinicians involved in drug therapy and clinical trials. The editorial board and publication team is committed to producing an outstanding journal. The implication of an immunologic phenomena in the pathogenesis psoriasis has led the research to explore new treatment options over the past few years [1]. The result has been the birth of biologic therapies, those drugs targeting the activity of T lymphocytes and cytokines responsible for the inflammatory nature of this disease. Singri et al. [2] recently defined four strategies that clarify the mechanism of action for the various biologic agents. These strategies include (1) reduction of pathogenic T cells, (2) inhibition of T-cell activation, (3) immune deviation (“deviation” of a TH1 immune response toward a greater TH2-type response through the involvement of these TH2-type cytokines), and (4) blocking the activity of inflammatory cytokines [2]. There are currently five biologic agents which are approved for psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis. The biologic agents include infliximab (strategy 4), etanercept (strategy 4), efalizumab (strategy 2), alefacept (strategy 1), and adalimumab (strategy 4) (Table). These therapies offer successful therapy of psoriasis, with a lack of organ toxicity seen with traditional systemic therapies, such as methotrexate and cyclosporine. However, long-term monitoring of these agents will be necessary to determine the potential risk for increased infection and malignancy in patients treated with them. In this issue, there are two reviews on biologic therapy in psoriasis. Vamvouris and Hadi [3] review the treatment of psoriasis with infliximab, and Fuchs and Hadi [4] review the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis with etanercept. Psoriasis often has a devastating effect on those who are afflicted. The author John Updike devoted the chapter “At war with my skin” to psoriasis in Self-Consciousness. [5] He observed that psoriasis keeps you thinking: “Strategies of concealment ramify, and self-examination is endless.” The patient constantly invents new ways of hiding the symptoms. After an attack of measles in 1938, Updike noted that his psoriasis paraded “in all its flaming scabbiness from head to toe“ [6]. I am pleased to begin my tenure as Editor-in-Chief with this issue of Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials. This journal publishes frontier reviews on recent clinical trials of major importance. The journal's aim is to publish the highest quality review articles in the field. Topics covered include important Phase I - IV clinical trial studies, clinical investigations at all stages of development, and therapeutics. It is our hope that this journal will be essential reading for all researchers and clinicians involved in drug therapy and clinical trials. The editorial board and publication team is committed to producing an outstanding journal. The implication of an immunologic phenomena in the pathogenesis psoriasis has led the research to explore new treatment options over the past few years [1]. The result has been the birth of biologic therapies, those drugs targeting the activity of T lymphocytes and cytokines responsible for the inflammatory nature of this disease. Singri et al. [2] recently defined four strategies that clarify the mechanism of action for the various biologic agents. These strategies include (1) reduction of pathogenic T cells, (2) inhibition of T-cell activation, (3) immune deviation (“deviation” of a TH1 immune response toward a greater TH2-type response through the involvement of these TH2-type cytokines), and (4) blocking the activity of inflammatory cytokines [2]. There are currently five biologic agents which are approved for psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis. The biologic agents include infliximab (strategy 4), etanercept (strategy 4), efalizumab (strategy 2), alefacept (strategy 1), and adalimumab (strategy 4) (Table). These therapies offer successful therapy of psoriasis, with a lack of organ toxicity seen with traditional systemic therapies, such as methotrexate and cyclosporine. However, long-term monitoring of these agents will be necessary to determine the potential risk for increased infection and malignancy in patients treated with them. In this issue, there are two reviews on biologic therapy in psoriasis. Vamvouris and Hadi [3] review the treatment of psoriasis with infliximab, and Fuchs and Hadi [4] review the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis with etanercept. Psoriasis often has a devastating effect on those who are afflicted. The author John Updike devoted the chapter “At war with my skin” to psoriasis in Self-Consciousness. [5] He observed that psoriasis keeps you thinking: “Strategies of concealment ramify, and self-examination is endless.” The patient constantly invents new ways of hiding the symptoms. After an attack of measles in 1938, Updike noted that his psoriasis paraded “in all its flaming scabbiness from head to toe“ [6]. I am pleased to begin my tenure as Editor-in-Chief with this issue of Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials. This journal publishes frontier reviews on recent clinical trials of major importance. The journal's aim is to publish the highest quality review articles in the field. Topics covered include important Phase I - IV clinical trial studies, clinical investigations at all stages of development, and therapeutics. It is our hope that this journal will be essential reading for all researchers and clinicians involved in drug therapy and clinical trials. The editorial board and publication team is committed to producing an outstanding journal. The implication of an immunologic phenomena in the pathogenesis psoriasis has led the research to explore new treatment options over the past few years [1]. The result has been the birth of biologic therapies, those drugs targeting the activity of T lymphocytes and cytokines responsible for the inflammatory nature of this disease. Singri et al. [2] recently defined four strategies that clarify the mechanism of action for the various biologic agents. These strategies include (1) reduction of pathogenic T cells, (2) inhibition of T-cell activation, (3) immune deviation (“deviation” of a TH1 immune response toward a greater TH2-type response through the involvement of these TH2-type cytokines), and (4) blocking the activity of inflammatory cytokines [2]. There are currently five biologic agents which are approved for psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis. The biologic agents include infliximab (strategy 4), etanercept (strategy 4), efalizumab (strategy 2), alefacept (strategy 1), and adalimumab (strategy 4) (Table). These therapies offer successful therapy of psoriasis, with a lack of organ toxicity seen with traditional systemic therapies, such as methotrexate and cyclosporine. However, long-term monitoring of these agents will be necessary to determine the potential risk for increased infection and malignancy in patients treated with them. In this issue, there are two reviews on biologic therapy in psoriasis. Vamvouris and Hadi [3] review the treatment of psoriasis with infliximab, and Fuchs and Hadi [4] review the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis with etanercept. Psoriasis often has a devastating effect on those who are afflicted. The author John Updike devoted the chapter “At war with my skin” to psoriasis in Self-Consciousness. [5] He observed that psoriasis keeps you thinking: “Strategies of concealment ramify, and self-examination is endless.” The patient constantly invents new ways of hiding the symptoms. After an attack of measles in 1938, Updike noted that his psoriasis paraded “in all its flaming scabbiness from head to toe“ [6]. I am pleased to begin my tenure as Editor-in-Chief with this issue of Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials. This journal publishes frontier reviews on recent clinical trials of major importance. The journal's aim is to publish the highest quality review articles in the field. Topics covered include important Phase I - IV clinical trial studies, clinical investigations at all stages of development, and therapeutics. It is our hope that this journal will be essential reading for all researchers and clinicians involved in drug therapy and clinical trials. The editorial board and publication team is committed to producing an outstanding journal. The implication of an immunologic phenomena in the pathogenesis psoriasis has led the research to explore new treatment options over the past few years [1]. The result has been the birth of biologic therapies, those drugs targeting the activity of T lymphocytes and cytokines responsible for the inflammatory nature of this disease. Singri et al. [2] recently defined four strategies that clarify the mechanism of action for the various biologic agents. These strategies include (1) reduction of pathogenic T cells, (2) inhibition of T-cell activation, (3) immune deviation (“deviation” of a TH1 immune response toward a greater TH2-type response through the involvement of these TH2-type cytokines), and (4) blocking the activity of inflammatory cytokines [2]. There are currently five biologic agents which are approved for psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis. The biologic agents include infliximab (strategy 4), etanercept (strategy 4), efalizumab (strategy 2), alefacept (strategy 1), and adalimumab (strategy 4) (Table). These therapies offer successful therapy of psoriasis, with a lack of organ toxicity seen with traditional systemic therapies, such as methotrexate and cyclosporine. However, long-term monitoring of these agents will be necessary to determine the potential risk for increased infection and malignancy in patients treated with them. In this issue, there are two reviews on biologic therapy in psoriasis. Vamvouris and Hadi [3] review the treatment of psoriasis with infliximab, and Fuchs and Hadi [4] review the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis with etanercept. Psoriasis often has a devastating effect on those who are afflicted. The author John Updike devoted the chapter “At war with my skin” to psoriasis in Self-Consciousness. [5] He observed that psoriasis keeps you thinking: “Strategies of concealment ramify, and self-examination is endless.” The patient constantly invents new ways of hiding the symptoms. After an attack of measles in 1938, Updike noted that his psoriasis paraded “in all its flaming scabbiness from head to toe” [6]. The novel biologic therapies have been of benefit in improving the lives of many and, as progress continues in this area, they will hopefully continue to ease the burden of many more. [1] Tutrone WD, Kagen MH, Barbagallo J, Weinberg JM. Biologic therapy for psoriasis: a brief history, II. Cutis 2001; 68:367-72. [2] Singri P, West DP, Gordon KB. Biologic therapy for psoriasis: the new therapeutic frontier. Arch Dermatol 2002; 138:657-63. [3] Vamvouris T, Hadi, S. A review of the treatment of psoriasis with infliximab. Rev Recent Clin Trials 2006; 1: 201-205. [4] Fuchs BS, Hadi S. Use of etanercept in the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Rev Recent Clin Trials 2006; 1:259-263. [5] Updike J. Self-Consciousness. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf 1989. [6] Updike J. Odd Jobs: Essays and Criticism. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf 1991.