Apremilast in dermatology: A review of literature

Apremilast is an orally administered small molecule that specifically inhibits the phosphodiesterase-4 enzyme and modulates the immune system by increasing the levels of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and inhibiting IL-2 & 8, interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production. It is FDA approved for the treatment of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and oral ulcers of Behcet's disease. More recently, apremilast has been used off-label to treat varied dermatological diseases where systemic corticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents were not effective. We review the efficacy and safety of apremilast in the treatment of aphthous stomatitis, Behçet's disease, chronic actinic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, cutaneous sarcoidosis, hidradenitis suppurativa, lichen planus, and discoid lupus erythematosus in cases where standard treatment has failed.