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Medications
PubMed · December 1, 2026
Researchers found that a medication called bimekizumab (brand name Bimzelx) helped people with moderate to severe psoriasis — a skin condition causing red, scaly patches — achieve complete clearance in especially difficult areas like the scalp, nails, and palms and soles of the feet. Compared to several other treatments, bimekizumab led to higher rates of complete clearing in these areas, and those results held up over four years of treatment. This appears to be a new option showing strong and lasting results for psoriasis in areas that are often hard to treat.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether bimekizumab might work better than the patient's current treatment for clearing up psoriasis on the scalp, nails, or hands and feet.
What's New
PubMed · December 1, 2026
Researchers found that a medication called vunakizumab helped people with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis — a skin condition causing thick, scaly patches — see significant skin clearing as early as 4 weeks into treatment, regardless of how long they had psoriasis or how severe it was when they started. By the one-year mark, people who switched from a dummy treatment to vunakizumab caught up to those who had been on it all along, suggesting the medication can still work well even when started later. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · December 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with psoriasis who are obese may not respond as well to certain biologic medications — powerful treatments that target the immune system to clear skin — compared to people who are not obese. The difference was most noticeable with two specific types of biologics (those targeting proteins called IL-17 and IL-12/23), while other types did not show the same pattern, though the evidence is still limited. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 14, 2026
Researchers found that a class of medications called JAK inhibitors — which work by calming overactive signals in the immune system — showed meaningful improvements in skin clearance for people with psoriasis, along with better quality of life and less itching. The large review looked at data from over 15,000 patients across dozens of studies, making it one of the most comprehensive looks at these treatments so far. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 6, 2026
Researchers found that methotrexate, a common medication for moderate-to-severe psoriasis, has long been thought to carry a serious risk of liver damage — but a review of decades of studies suggests that risk depends heavily on the individual patient rather than the drug itself. Things like obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, heavy alcohol use, or already having liver problems appear to raise the chances of liver trouble, while people without those risk factors may tolerate the medication much better. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 2, 2026
Researchers found that biosimilar versions of a psoriasis medication called ustekinumab (sold as Stelara) worked just as well as the original brand-name version for people with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis — a skin condition that causes thick, scaly, inflamed patches. Biosimilars are copies of an existing medication, similar to how a generic drug works, and this finding matters because they may offer the same relief at a lower cost, potentially making treatment more accessible. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that a new medication called picankibart helped people with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis — a skin condition causing thick, scaly, inflamed patches — achieve significant skin clearance. In the study, about 80% of patients taking the medication saw their psoriasis improve by 90% or more within 16 weeks, compared to just 2% of those taking a placebo (a dummy treatment with no active ingredient), and those improvements held up for a full year with doses given only once every 12 weeks. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that treating psoriasis early — within the first year of getting the condition — with a medication called secukinumab may help some people stay clear even after they stop taking it. About 44% of patients who stopped treatment at the one-year mark hadn't seen their psoriasis return a full year later, which is encouraging because it suggests early treatment might change how the disease behaves long-term. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 22, 2026
Researchers found that taking a supplement called nicotinamide riboside (NR) — a form of vitamin B3 — may help calm down a specific part of the immune system that's overactive in people with psoriasis, a skin condition where the immune system attacks healthy skin cells. In a small study, people with mild-to-moderate psoriasis who took NR twice daily for four weeks showed reduced activity in immune cells known to drive inflammation in psoriasis. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Guidelines
PubMed · June 20, 2026
A 2026 clinical update on light-based skin treatment confirms that a therapy called narrowband UVB phototherapy — which uses a specific type of ultraviolet light directed at the skin — remains a front-line option for people with psoriasis, among other skin conditions. It's valued because it works well, has a strong safety record, and tends to cost less than many newer treatments. The update also notes that this light therapy can be used alongside newer systemic treatments — meaning medications that work throughout the whole body — giving doctors more flexible options for patients.
What's New
JAMA · June 16, 2026
Researchers found that a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza may also help people with psoriasis, a skin condition that causes red, scaly patches. The review, published in a well-known medical journal, suggests these medications could reduce skin inflammation, which is a key driver of psoriasis symptoms. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 9, 2026
Researchers found that people with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis who were treated with a newer class of biologic medications — called IL-23 inhibitors (drugs that calm an overactive immune signal linked to psoriasis) — had very few cases of tuberculosis (TB) being triggered or reactivated, even among patients who already had a dormant TB infection. Across 34 studies, only one patient showed signs of a dormant TB infection becoming active again while on one of these medications. This is reassuring news for patients and their doctors, especially in regions of the world where TB is more common. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that an oral pill called icotrokinra significantly reduced the severity of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis compared to a placebo (an inactive pill used for comparison). By week 16, about 73% of people taking it saw their psoriasis improve by at least 75%, versus only 11% on the placebo — and the rates of side effects were similar between the two groups, suggesting it was well tolerated. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Guidelines
PubMed (Guideline Reviews) · June 1, 2026
According to the French Society of Dermatology's updated 2025 guidelines, doctors treating adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis — a skin condition causing thick, scaly, inflamed patches — should consider methotrexate, adalimumab, or ustekinumab as first-choice whole-body (systemic) treatments, meaning medications that work throughout the body rather than just on the skin. The guidelines also give specific direction for situations where a treatment isn't working well enough, when psoriasis affects the joints, or when a patient has other health conditions or is planning a pregnancy. This update matters because it replaces older 2019 guidance and reflects the latest available treatments, helping doctors make more informed decisions tailored to each patient's individual situation.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient should consider methotrexate, adalimumab, or ustekinumab as a first treatment option for the patient's moderate-to-severe psoriasis.
Medications
PubMed · June 1, 2026
A study found that switching multiple times between Humira (adalimumab) and its biosimilar AMJEVITA — a lower-cost version of the same medication — did not meaningfully change how the drug behaved in the body for people with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, a skin condition causing thick, scaly patches. Researchers found that the safety profile and drug levels in the blood stayed similar whether patients stayed on Humira the whole time or switched back and forth between the two versions. This appears to be new evidence supporting that these switches can be made without major changes in how the medication works.
Medications
PubMed · June 1, 2026
A study found that bimekizumab (brand name Bimzelx) helped Chinese patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis — a skin condition that causes thick, scaly patches — clear or nearly clear their skin significantly better than a placebo (a dummy treatment with no active medicine). Researchers found that after 16 weeks, about 94% of patients taking bimekizumab saw major skin improvement, compared to just 3% of those taking the placebo. This appears to be a new efficacy finding specifically for Chinese patients, as earlier global studies included very few people from this population.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether bimekizumab might be a treatment option the patient should know about, since a recent study found it worked well for clearing psoriasis in Chinese patients.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that a new experimental pill called balinatunfib, which works by calming a specific part of the body's inflammation process, showed signs of reducing psoriasis lesion severity compared to a placebo (a dummy pill with no active ingredient) over just four weeks — with patients seeing noticeable improvement as early as week two. The most common side effects were a change in taste and mild nausea. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with psoriasis who lost weight — through diet, exercise, or weight-loss medications — saw meaningful improvements in their skin symptoms compared to those who didn't follow a weight-loss program. On average, participants lost about 6.7 kg (roughly 15 pounds), and those who lost weight were about 60% more likely to achieve a major reduction in skin flare-ups and redness. Someone with psoriasis might want to ask their doctor whether weight management could be a helpful part of their overall care plan.
What's New
PubMed · May 17, 2026
Researchers found that bimekizumab, a newer biologic medication (a drug that works by targeting specific parts of the immune system), was more effective at clearing skin in people with psoriasis than several other established biologic treatments, including adalimumab, ustekinumab, and secukinumab — with more patients achieving completely or nearly clear skin. This could matter for people with psoriasis who haven't gotten enough relief from other biologic options, since having more effective choices may help those with harder-to-treat cases. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers analyzed hundreds of studies to piece together what factors may actually cause psoriasis — not just appear alongside it — and found that disrupted fat metabolism in the blood, particularly higher levels of LDL cholesterol (often called 'bad' cholesterol), may play a role in raising psoriasis risk; they also found possible connections between psoriasis and depression, suggesting the two conditions may influence each other in ways that go beyond coincidence. This kind of research uses a clever method of reading genetic clues to help sort out cause-and-effect relationships, which could eventually point scientists toward new treatment targets. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Medications
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that a medication called imsidolimab helped people with a rare and serious skin condition called generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) — a form of psoriasis that causes painful pus-filled blisters and can be life-threatening. In the study, about 53% of patients who received imsidolimab had their skin rated as clear or almost clear after four weeks, compared to just 13% of those who received a placebo (an inactive treatment). This appears to be a new treatment option being studied for GPP, which currently has very few available therapies.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether imsidolimab might be an option for the patient if the patient has generalized pustular psoriasis that keeps flaring up.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that certain medications used to treat psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis — a form of joint inflammation linked to psoriasis — can affect cholesterol and fat levels in the blood in meaningfully different ways depending on which drug is used. For example, a class of medications called JAK inhibitors (such as Rinvoq or Xeljanz) appeared to raise several types of cholesterol over time, including both 'good' (HDL) and 'bad' (LDL) cholesterol, while another class called TNF inhibitors seemed to lower overall cholesterol levels. This matters because changes in cholesterol can affect heart health, so people with psoriasis and their doctor may want to keep this in mind when discussing treatment options. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the biologic or small-molecule inhibitor the patient is taking or considering for psoriasis might affect their cholesterol or other fat levels in the blood.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis — a skin condition causing thick, scaly patches — who showed significant skin improvement within just the first two weeks of taking a medication called vunakizumab were much more likely to have clear or nearly clear skin a full year later. In other words, how well someone's skin responded early on turned out to be a strong clue about how well the treatment would keep working over time. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 8, 2026
Researchers found that in people with psoriasis, the layer of fat tissue just beneath the skin — not just the skin's surface — shows strong signs of inflammation, even in areas where skin looks normal. They also found that people with both psoriasis and obesity had more than twice the level of this fat tissue inflammation compared to those without obesity, and that a treatment called secukinumab helped reduce it, especially in obese patients. This suggests psoriasis may affect the body more deeply than previously thought, beyond just what's visible on the skin. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 2, 2026
Researchers found that people exposed to higher levels of air pollution — such as traffic-related fumes and fine particles in the air — as well as certain industrial chemicals were more likely to develop psoriasis or have more severe flare-ups, even when accounting for genetic factors. This suggests that where someone lives and the quality of their air and environment may play a meaningful role in whether psoriasis develops or worsens, not just their genes. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that some people with psoriasis develop a rare skin change called eruptive lentiginosis — where small, dark brown spots appear on areas where psoriasis plaques have started to clear up. This was seen across a wide range of ages, skin tones, and different types of psoriasis treatments, suggesting it may be a broader side effect of the healing process rather than tied to one specific treatment. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that when people with psoriasis temporarily stopped taking certain biologic medications — drugs that target specific proteins in the immune system to calm skin inflammation — their psoriasis was more likely to come back compared to those who kept taking the medication continuously. However, one newer medication called bimekizumab showed a lower risk of the skin condition returning after stopping, similar to another drug called guselkumab, which may be encouraging news for people who need or want to take breaks from treatment. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Medications
PubMed · April 1, 2026
A study found that bimekizumab (brand name Bimzelx), a treatment for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis — a skin condition causing red, scaly patches — helped patients feel better over three years, not just by clearing their skin but also by reducing itching, skin pain, and scaling. Researchers found that patients reported meaningful improvements in their daily quality of life that held up over the full three-year period. This appears to be new longer-term evidence supporting how this treatment affects patients' day-to-day experience, beyond what doctors can measure in a clinical exam.
Medications
PubMed · April 1, 2026
A study found that bimekizumab (brand name Bimzelx), a medication that targets certain proteins involved in skin inflammation, helped people with psoriasis achieve clear skin and kept it clear for up to four years in nearly three out of four patients who responded early to the treatment. Researchers also found that the drug appears to work by reducing a specific group of immune cells in the affected skin that drive the disease. This is new research into the long-term effectiveness of an existing treatment option, not a safety update or guideline recommendation.
Medications
PubMed · April 1, 2026
A study found that secukinumab (brand name Cosentyx), a medication given by injection to treat psoriasis — a skin condition that causes red, scaly patches — continued to work well for children and teens aged 6 to 17 with severe psoriasis over nearly five years (236 weeks) of treatment, with most young patients seeing major improvements in their skin and quality of life. Researchers found that the medication was generally well tolerated over this long period, which is noteworthy because long-term safety data for psoriasis treatments in children has historically been limited. This appears to be new evidence supporting the longer-term use of this treatment option in younger patients.
For informational purposes only. Not medical advice. Always consult a physician before making any health decisions.