Novel Therapies for Pemphigus Vulgaris

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a severe chronic autoimmune blistering disease that affects the skin and mucous membranes. It is characterized by suprabasal acantholysis due to disruption of desmosomal connections between keratinocytes. Autoantibodies against desmosomal cadherins, desmoglein 3 and 1, have been shown to induce disease. Certain human leukocyte antigen (HLA) types and non-HLA foci confer genetic susceptibility. Until the discovery of corticosteroids in the 1950s, PV was 75% fatal. Since then, multiple PV treatments, such as systemic corticosteroids and adjunctive therapy with immunosuppressive medications (mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, methotrexate, gold, and others) have been introduced; however, none have led to long-term remissions and many have undesired adverse effects. Our growing understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms in PV is leading to development of new targeted therapies, such as intravenous immunoglobulin, anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, inhibitors of Bruton tyrosine kinase and neonatal Fc receptors, and adoptive cellular transfer, that may result in lasting control of this life-threatening disease.