The US Food and Drug Administration has approved ixekizumab (Taltz, Eli Lilly) injection, 80 mg/mL, for use in pediatric patients to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The approval means that the drug is the first interleukin 17A (IL-17A) agent available for use in pediatric patients.

The approval was based on data from a phase 3 study that examined 171 children aged 6 to 17 years who had moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. In a press release for the drug, Jennifer Cather, MD, Modern Research Associates, Dallas, Texas, said, “In the phase 3 pediatric study, half of patients treated with ixekizumab achieved completely clear skin after only 12 weeks of treatment. These results and the subsequent FDA approval make a strong case for Taltz as an effective treatment option for doctors to consider for pediatric patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.”