Handheld Device May Offer Relief From Psoriasis

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

New Hand-held device uses phototherapy to treat psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo.

A new handheld device may mean relief from psoriasis, a condition that has been plaguing patients with its seemingly incurable symptoms. Skylit Medical, a San Diego startup, is developing a phototherapy device to use as treatment for psoriasis as well as eczema and vitiligo. According to Skylit’s website, 45 million Americans suffer from some form of skin condition and could benefit from their new product.

The handheld UV device that administers prescription phototherapy is remotely programmable by physicians and simply guides patients through daily or weekly therapy. Skylit Medical replaces the need for visits to a phototherapy site.

UV therapy is an effective treatment for psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, and other skin conditions caused by the immune system. It can act either as a standalone therapy or as a complement to other treatments. According to a consumer update from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), psoriasis treatments have evolved from a gradual approach to more targeted therapies catered to each patient’s specific requirement.

Melinda McCord, MD, and FDA dermatologist, said, “Tomorrow’s treatments will become even more personalized, because the drugs in development now are targeting different aspects of the immune system.”
 
Among Skylit’s future goals is to build cameras within the device to allow dermatologists direct access to the therapy’s progress. As is, the device will include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities for the patients to manually send any information to their dermatologists. Since symptoms vary from patient to patient, McCord concluded, “As we better understand the disease, researchers know more about what specific factors to target in order to develop effective treatments.”