Luma Therapeutics has launched a light-based therapy for the treatment of plaque psoriasis.
The company’s FDA-cleared technology, the illuvinate System, is an in-home treatment designed to provide lasting relief from psoriasis symptoms. Illuvinate can now be prescribed either by a dermatologist or via Luma’s telehealth provider, HealthLens.
Psoriasis—an inflammatory condition resulting in painful, raised patches of skin often found on the scalp, knees, elbows, and lower back—affects 2 to 3 percent of the world’s population and 7.5 million people in the U.S. alone. In addition to the discomfort and embarrassment endured by psoriasis sufferers, the condition is associated with depression, cardiovascular disease, and Type II diabetes.1
Current common treatments for psoriasis fall short: Topical steroid treatments can be messy and ineffective, and many patients are reluctant to take medications that may have long-term side effects. Other treatments are available only in a clinical setting, presenting an obstacle to consistent adherence.
The most effective treatment for psoriasis is the Goeckerman Regimen, a 100-year-old proven therapy that results in long periods of remission lasting between eight months to over a year.2 However the treatment is available only at a handful of specialized academic centers and often requires multiple day-long clinic visits over a period of weeks, creating barriers to widespread adoption.
Luma Therapeutics reports it has redesigned the key elements of the Goeckerman Regimen to make it available to patients in their own homes.
Illuvinate has been demonstrated to reduce local inflammation, rehydrate the skin, and restore normal skin cells. The system includes patented hydrating technology, a narrowband UV LED light system, and a proprietary app-based dosing algorithm. The therapy is applied for minutes each day over a six-week period.
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References:
1 “Comorbidities Associated with Psoriatic Disease.” National Psoriasis Foundation, www.psoriasis.org/about-psoriasis/related-conditions.
2 Gupta, Rishu, et al. “The Goeckerman Regimen for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Psoriasis.” Journal of Visualized Experiments, no. 77, 2013, doi:10.3791/50509.
(Source: Luma Therapeutics)
