Treatment of Pemphigus Vulgaris and Pemphigus Foliaceus With Mycophenolate Mofetil

Abstract

Background: Mycophenolate mofetil is increasingly being used as a corticosteroid-sparing agent in immunosuppressive regimens.Objective: To elucidate the effectiveness of mycophenolate as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of both pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus.

Mycophenolic acid: a drug with a potential beyond renal transplantation

“…18 Mycophenolate mofetil is beginning to be used in the management of auto-immune disorders such asidiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and systemic lupus erythematosis, scleroderma and pemphigus vulgaris with success for some patients. 19 A combination of mycophenolate and ribavirin has been found to stop infection by and replication of dengue virus in vitro.…”

Mycophenolate Mofetil for the Management of Autoimmune Bullous Diseases

“…Five patients relapsed after MMF discontinuation at a 6-month follow-up, suggesting MMF should be administered for a longer period to sustain remission [ 58 ]. Several years later, a large historical prospective trial was conducted including 31 patients with pemphigus vulgaris and 11 patients with pemphigus foliaceus, who had relapsed on prednisone therapy or had had adverse effects from previous drug therapy [ 20 ]. Combined treatment with prednisone and MMF (35-45 mg/kg) led to complete remission in 71 % of the pemphigus vulgaris group and 45 % of the pemphigus foliaceus group.…”

Immunomodulation in Dermatology

“…In a study of 42 pemphigus sufferers, 71% of pemphigus vulgaris patients and 45% of pemphigus foliaceus patients had a complete remission of disease, with a median time of 9 months to remission [12] . Successful outcomes with MMF therapy have also been reported in bullous pemphigoid, paraneoplastic pemphigus, cicatricial pemphigoid, linear IgA bullous dermatosis, and epidermolysis bullosa acquisita [11] .…”