“May all be happy, may all be healed, may all be at peace and may no one ever suffer."
Secukinumab is a human monoclonal antibody that targets IL-17A cytokine to downregulate inflammation in psoriasis, an autoimmune dermatological disease. The pathophysiology of psoriasis has not been fully established, however it is known that dysregulation of innate and adaptive immune responses plays part in the chronic inflammation associated with the disease. IL-17 represents is a six-membered family (IL-17A to F) of pleiotropic pro-inflammatory cytokines, expression of which is found to be elevated in psoriatic skin. These cytokines act on many different cell types and provide defense against different extracellular pathogens causing fungal or bacterial infections. IL-17 cytokines are produced by many cells involved in immune system defense, such as Th17, mast cells, neutrophils, and dendritic cells - all implicated in promoting inflammation. There is evidence linking IL-17 to pathogenesis of multiple autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, and even atherosclerosis.