According to NICE guideline CG153 in England,11 psoriasis patients are treated in three stages. First-line therapy includes traditional topical therapies (such as corticosteroids, vitamin D and vitamin D analogues, dithranol and tar preparations). Second-line therapies include the phototherapies NBUVB light and PUVA and systemic non-biological agents such as ciclosporin, methotrexate and acitretin. Systemic biological therapies such as the TNF antagonists adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab and the monoclonal antibody ustekinumab, which targets IL-12 and IL-23, can be provided as third-line therapy.
The three biologics that have regulatory approval for the treatment of plaque psoriasis in children and young people (adalimumab, etanercept and ustekinumab) have not yet been appraised by NICE and no NICE technology appraisal (TA) guidance is available for treating children and adolescents in the UK with these treatments for this indication.
Objective
The aim of this study was to determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of adalimumab, etanercept and ustekinumab within their respective licensed indications for the treatment of plaque psoriasis in children and young people.
Note
This report contains reference to confidential information provided as part of the NICE appraisal process. This information has been removed from the report and the results, discussions and conclusions of the report do not include the confidential information. These sections are clearly marked in the report.
