Amgen has partnered with multi-talented actress, producer and entrepreneur La La Anthony to share her personal journey living with plaque psoriasis, and to inspire people to be open with their doctors about how the disease affects their daily lives. As one of the more than 6 million people in the United States living with plaque psoriasis, La La understands the frustrations of living with this disease. Symptoms can distract from everyday moments, big and small, even influencing clothing or makeup choices.
In a new interactive video, La La offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at how plaque psoriasis has affected her personal and professional life – and her realization of how important it is to advocate for treatment options that work well for her, and to help others do the same.
"I have spent so much time and energy trying different methods to manage my plaque psoriasis that were often messy or inconvenient to apply, like a prescription shampoo for my scalp psoriasis. It required daily hair washing, which is not practical for my hair," said La La. "I was hesitant to tell my doctor that some treatments didn't work with my lifestyle, but I realized that doctors can only help if they know the full picture. I want to encourage people living with plaque psoriasis to be vocal about how the disease and treatments are impacting their daily lives."
Although common, plaque psoriasis is a frequently misunderstood disease. Many people think it is a skin condition, but it is an autoimmune disease that starts as inflammation inside the body. The inflammation presents as itchy, flaky patches that may cover large portions of the skin or only a few areas.
Research shows that people with plaque psoriasis and their doctors aren't always on the same page about how severe their condition is – with patients believing their symptoms to be more severe than their doctor's assessment.
Many people are prescribed topical treatments for plaque psoriasis patches, like creams or ointments. While these topical medications may provide relief, they are only treating the symptoms of the disease – not a root cause of inflammation – and are often viewed by patients as messy to apply.
"Plaque psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory condition and each patient's experience is unique," said board-certified dermatologist Meagen McCusker M.D., M.S., FAAD. "The good news is advances in the field have given us a multitude of treatment options. For many patients who struggle with topical therapies, or who feel like their symptoms are not well managed by their current routine, I suggest talking to your doctor about a treatment option that helps reduce the underlying inflammation. Disease severity and lifestyle are key factors that influence a patient's choice for treatment – there is no one-size-fits all approach."
Amgen is committed to supporting plaque psoriasis patients to ensure that appropriate patients have affordable access to Otezla.
Psoriasis is a chronic disease where skin cells build up quickly, typically causing red or discoloured, scaly, and itchy patches on the skin. Approximately 125 million people worldwide have psoriasis, including more than 8 million people in the United States. About 80% of those patients have plaque psoriasis.
Otezla (apremilast) is an oral small-molecule inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) specific for cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). PDE4 inhibition results in increased intracellular cAMP levels, which is thought to indirectly modulate the production of inflammatory mediators. The specific mechanism(s) by which Otezla exerts its therapeutic action in patients is not well defined.
Since its initial FDA approval in 2014, Otezla has been prescribed to more than 1 million patients worldwide.
Otezla (apremilast) is indicated for the treatment of: Adult patients with plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy; Paediatric patients 6 years of age and older and weighing at least 20 kg with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy; Adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis; dult patients with oral ulcers associated with Behçet's disease.
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