A new option in the fight against psoriasis -- Stelara (ustekinumab). The FDA -- after two long years of talks -- has approved the use of this drug for psoriasis patients who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic treatment, reports MedPage Today. It is to be used for moderate to severe cases. In trials, patients who followed the regimen recommended were able to achieve significantly clear skin for about a year. This is an injectible drug.  A few heads up before you talk to your doctor and seek Stelara -- use may cause the immunosupression, and you'll need a TB test before starting to use it.

Raptiva (efalixumab), a well-know biologic, will no longer be available, according to a press release published by manufacturer Genentech last week.

Genentech is voluntarily pulling the drug from the market in the United States because of, "an increased risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare and usually fatal disease of the central nervous system." This will occur in phases, so that doctors have time to safely transition patients to an alternative.

If you're on Raptiva, don't stop taking the medication on your own. Doing so may cause a flare-up, so be sure to contact your healthcare provider to determine your next best steps. Your doctor may recommend that you transition to another biologic psoriasis drug, such as Amevive, Enbrel, Humira or Remicade.

The consensus statement recommends that two groups of psoriasis patients be evaluated for vascular disease: those with moderate to severe psoriasis; and those with mild psoriasis plus a recognized risk factor for vascular disease such as abdominal obesity or hypertension.