Therapeutic trials

Sewon Kang, M.D., Yolanda Helfrich, M.D., Dana Sachs, M.D. and John Voorhees, M.D., F.R.C.P.

Potential new drugs or devices to better treat dermatologic diseases and conditions need to be tested in a rigorous manner while conforming to strict regulatory requirements. We work with small to multinational pharmaceutical companies to develop safer and more effective treatments for our patients. In many instances, we assist these companies in the design of clinical protocols as well as in the execution of the studies. Our department has a long history of excellence in psoriasis research. The pivotal study demonstrating the effectiveness of cyclosporine in psoriasis, followed by delineation of its mechanism of action was conducted through the CRU. Also, the first psoriasis patient ever to receive a biologic drug CTLA-4Ig was one of ours. A successful demonstration of this biologic efficacy unleashed the explosive development of other protein-based agents in psoriasis. We continue to lead the scientific community with our therapeutic trials in psoriasis. In the area of photoaging, our CRU was instrumental in the development of the only two topical agents approved for this indication. We conducted the first vehicle controlled study demonstrating the efficacy of topical retinoic acid in photoaging, and we were the lead center in the pivotal study for tazarotene in photoaging. Besides psoriasis and photoaging, we frequently study atopic dermatitis, acne, and actinic keratoses. Even non-surgical approaches to basal cell carcinomas are being pursued in the CRU. For those interested in specific information about our therapeutic trials the U-M Engage website provides a database of studies currently seeking enrollment.

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