How Long will an Amevive Remission Last?
from Susan N.

Dear Ed:  I was happy to find your great site! 

My 20 year old daughter has had moderate to severe psoriasis since she was an infant.  Her derm just started her on Amevive.  Does anyone have any good statistics on the duration of a remission if it works?  2 months? 6 months? a year? 

I would also appreciate some feedback on the method of injection and blood tests.  From what I've read, the injections are given IM in the thigh and weekly blood tests are required. 

However, my daughter's derm has given her the injection in the thigh muscle and has said that blood tests are only required only at the beginning and toward the end of the 12 week period.  Any thoughts? -Susan N.

*****

Ed’s Response:  I haven’t been able to find any statistical data on the duration of remission after a course of Amevive.  This could be because the drug is so new, or remission varies widely, or both.  We can deduce one clue from dosing instructions, which suggests up to two 12-week courses are possible per year.  Evenly spaced, that would put about 6 months between courses.  It might be a safe guess that the prospect of more than a single course during a year wouldn’t be addressed had there not been some evidence that it might be required....  In any case, I expect we will learn more about remission times over the next couple of years.

The derm’s statement that blood tests are required only at the beginning and near the end of the course goes against what is directed in the Amevive literature.  In the prescribing information (link below) it is mentioned at least twice — once in bold face all caps — that CD4+ T lymphocyte counts should be monitored weekly during the 12 week dosing.  I’m pretty sure this implies a blood test.  While your derm may have a good reason for saying this is not required in your daughter’s case, I would ask him.

http://www.amevive.com/amevive_web/web_content/en_US/forms/AMEVIVE_Label_163007_1.pdf

(You will need Adobe Acrobat reader to open this document.  If you don’t have it, a link to the free download is on the root site:  www.amevive.com.)

I’m glad you found FlakeHQ and hope you will keep us apprized of your daughter’s progress.  You may have read that I am anticipating a course of Amevive at the first of next year, so I’m particularly thankful to hear about everyone's experiences.  -Ed

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