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Review
. 2024 Jan 30:15:1354729.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1354729. eCollection 2024.

Psoriasis and biological drugs at the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a mini review outlining risk of infection, seroprevalence, and safety and efficacy of the BNT162b2 vaccine

Janosch Railton  1 , Martina Volonté  1 , Eugenio Isoletta  1 , Alice Bonelli  1 , Stefania Barruscotti  1 , Valeria Brazzelli  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Psoriasis and biological drugs at the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a mini review outlining risk of infection, seroprevalence, and safety and efficacy of the BNT162b2 vaccine

Janosch Railton et al. Front Immunol. .

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to review the life of patients with psoriasis on biologic therapy during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the relevance of frailty within this context, reviewing studies that describe the course and severity of infection in patients with psoriasis on biologics, the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2, and the safety and efficacy of the BNT162b2 vaccine in these patients.

Materials and methods: The keywords "Psoriasis," "Biologics," "SARS-CoV-2," "COVID-19," and "BNT162b2 Vaccine" were used in various combinations on database engines to find relevant articles on this topic.

Results: A total of 36 articles were found, with 20 concerning the course, severity, and seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in patients with psoriasis on biologic therapy and 16 concerning safety and efficacy of BNT162b2 in these patients.

Discussion: Patients with psoriasis on biologic therapy did not have increased seroprevalence compared with the general population, indicating that they were not at an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with the general population. Furthermore, the immunosuppressive action of biologics may be protective, as patients on biologic therapy had better outcomes and less risk of severe infection. The seroconversion rate against SARS-CoV-2 from the BNT162b2 vaccine was similar in both patients with psoriasis on biologics and the general population, indicating that efficacy is not hindered by the biologic therapy. However, the cellular response in population with psoriasis was significantly less intense, and the humoral immune response was weaker than that in the general population, demonstrating that the possibility of tighter vaccination schedules and additional doses may be advantageous in these patients.

Keywords: BNT162b2 vaccine; SARS-CoV-2; biologic therapy; frailty; psoriasis; targeted immunosuppression.

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Conflict of interest statement

VB has been registered for congresses for Sanofi Genzyme, Novartis, Almirall and has participated in clinical trials for Leo Pharma. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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