Summary

Secretion of interleukin (IL)-23 by myeloid dendritic cells plays a role in the initiation of psoriasis. In addition, chronic psoriasis is maintained, at least in part, by the continued secretion of IL-23, which promotes the secretion of chemokines and antimicrobial peptides by keratinocytes, resulting in amplification that causes further IL-23 secretion. This article discusses the combination of IL-23 blockade with a single dose of the monoclonal antibody BI 655066 in the Single Rising Dose Study of BI 655066 in Patients With Moderate and Severe Psoriasis [NCT01577550].