Drug For Psoriasis Shows Results After 4 Weeks: Study

A recent study claims that a new drug may soon offer some relief to patients suffering from the skin disease called psoriaris. The recently conducted clinical trial of the drug helped 40 percent of patients get rid of skin problems linked to the disease.

The drug, called ixekizumab, was clinically tested at Britain's University of Manchester. During the study, nearly half of the sample population received the new drug, while the other half received either a placebo, or a common drug used for psoriasis, called etanercept. The researchers found that the patients who received ixekizumab showed extensive improvement in their condition. Nearly half of the patients started to show improvement by the end of the fourth week.

According to the Health Site, nearly 90 percent of the patients showed some improvement from previously reported symptoms associated with the condition. The group outperformed those who received a placebo.

“What we saw in this trial was not just the physical aspects of the disease clearing up, but people on the new drug also reporting a marked improvement in their quality of life as they felt more confident and suffered less from itching -- far more than in the other two groups,” lead researcher Chris Griffiths said in a statement.

People who suffer from psoriasis have bumps on their skin called “plaques” that are caused by an excessive number of skin cells. The presence of plaques may lead to itching, flakes and scaliness over the affected area.