In 2016 the FDA approved Taltz, a very effective new medication to treat psoriasis.

In 2016 the FDA approved Taltz, a very effective new medication to treat psoriasis. Taltz treats psoriasis by suppressing the immune system. It is very effective and works rather quickly–patients who respond may notice results within one to two months. Patients self-administer Taltz at home with an injection, which is repeated every two weeks for three months, then monthly thereafter. Taltz works by suppressing the immune system and thereby increases your risk for infections, such as nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, and candidiasis, a type of yeast infection. You will need a test before starting treatment to make sure tuberculosis is not hiding anywhere in your body. If you develop an infection while on the medicine, call your doctor because you may need antibiotics. Finally, the immunosuppressive nature of Taltz makes it unsafe to receive live vaccines during treatment. Your doctor should therefore administer any live vaccines you may need in the foreseeable future before you start the medicine. Other side effects reported include headaches, irritation in the skin around the injection site, inflammatory bowel disease, neutropenia (low white blood cell counts), and allergic reaction (hives, angioedema, vasculitis).