People who live with an immune-mediated disease are suffering from it all their lives. These diseases make the body fight against itself, which can lead to a life of pain and discomfort. Although current treatments have already made a big difference in the lives of many people affected, there remains a great need for medicines that work better, faster, and longer. From our expertise in immunology, we will therefore, continue to work on innovative medicines for immune-mediated diseases such as psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is one of the most common skin diseases in the world, affecting between 1% and 11.4% of the world's population¹. Yet few people know what kind of disease psoriasis is. In psoriasis, the immune system is overactive. The patient's natural defence mechanism works too hard, causing the body to produce new skin cells too quickly. Normally skin cells are renewed approximately every 28 days, but in people with psoriasis this happens every 3 to 4 days ². Skin cells accumulate, resulting in flakes, redness, and itching.

Living with psoriasis

The complaints that cause psoriasis have a negative effect on the patient's daily life. People with psoriasis sleep worse and feel less free to use public facilities or practice sports. In addition, a third of people with psoriasis feel agitated, depressed or have difficulty concentrating ³. Psoriasis is relatively often associated with other conditions. For example, people living with psoriasis are more likely to suffer from Crohn's disease, depression and metabolic syndrome (a metabolic disorder associated with, among others, hypertension and diabetes) ¹.

Due to the visible symptoms of psoriasis, the skin disease often goes hand in hand with misunderstanding. For example, many people think that psoriasis is a contagious disease or that it is caused by a lack of hygiene. Of course, this is not true, but this kind of thinking has a major impact on patients' lives. Dutch research has shown that 50% of people exhibit discriminatory behaviour towards psoriasis patients. A 2018 survey of 8338 patients from 31 countries found that 84 percent of participants experienced discrimination and/or humiliation as a result of psoriasis, with many reporting negative effects of this discrimination on work, intimate relationships, sleep and mental health ⁴.

Janssen's commitment to psoriasis

It is not known what causes psoriasis. Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition, which unfortunately cannot yet be cured. Fortunately, there are treatments that reduce the symptoms. But that's not all: the current, available therapies do not always work and/or have too many side effects. Janssen has played a leading role in the search for new treatments over the past decade. We continue to work towards a future in which psoriasis belongs to the past.

By creating a better understanding of psoriasis, we try to change patients' lives. Janssen has already launched several editions of the magazine Apsolutely as well as the online platform apsolutely.be. The goal: to increase awareness of psoriasis. In the Apsolutely magazine, you can find tips from doctors and experts, read various stories from other people with psoriasis and receive up-to-date information about the disease. The apsolutely.be platform serves as a place to help people with psoriasis take control over the disease and their lives. So you can read about different changes you can make to your self-care routine, learn about different forms of psoriasis or how to best prepare for a doctor consultation.

More information about Janssen

Read more about our activity in the field of immunology, such as rheumatism and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and our other areas of expertise. You can also learn more about Janssen's activities in Belgium and what working at Janssen looks like. You can also follow us via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date with current developments.

©Janssen-Cilag – EM-106687 – approval date: 08-2022 – vu/er Luc Van Oevelen, Antwerpseweg 15-17, 2340 Beerse

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