Saakshi Khattri, MD, FACR, FAAD

In "The Next Five Years in Psoriasis: Remission, Access, and Combinations," the panel looks ahead to the advances and the unfinished work of the coming years.

"The Patient Who Is Better but Not Clear: Shared Decisions in Psoriasis" takes up the common scenario of a patient content with partial improvement.

In "Putting On-Treatment Remission Into Practice: A Patient-Defined Target in Psoriasis," the panel returns to remission and grounds it in what patients actually live with.

Saakshi Khattri, MD, discusses a new JAAD dual Th17/type 2 signature study and what it means for personalized psoriasis care this awareness month.

Saakshi Khattri, MD, discusses new oral psoriasis options and AAD 2026 weight-loss combination-therapy data in psoriatic disease.

Saakshi Khattri, MD, discusses mental health screening gaps in psoriasis and a new Th17/type 2 immune signature study pointing toward personalized care.

Saakshi Khattri, MD, discusses oral TYK2 inhibitor and IL-23 antagonist data alongside weight-loss combination therapy reshaping psoriasis and PsA care.

In "Real-World Evidence and Systemic Inflammation in Psoriasis," our experts scrutinize the evidence behind popular claims about disease progression.

This episode, "IL-17 Inhibitor Safety in Psoriasis: Candidiasis, IBD, and Mental Health," features the panel putting the class's safety signals in context.

In "BE BOLD Head-to-Head: IL-17 vs IL-23 for Psoriasis and PsA," the panel digs into the trial that broke the usual non-inferiority pattern.

"Exploring the IL-17 vs IL-23 Debate in Psoriasis " takes up a deliberately provocative question from the moderator.

Saakshi Khattri, MD, outlines her key practice-changing takeaways for dermatologists and rheumatologists.

In "IL-17 vs IL-23: Head-to-Head Data in Psoriasis and PsA," our experts turn to the trials clinicians actually reach for when choosing a class.

This episode, "Targeting the Pathways: TNF, IL-17, and IL-23 in Psoriasis," features the panel unpacking the biology behind today's biologics.

Saakshi Khattri, MD, discusses the comparable safety profile of risankizumab in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and the minimal need for routine laboratory monitoring.

In "Defining On-Treatment Remission in Psoriasis and PsA," the panel examines whether clear should now mean completely clear.

"Breaking Down Silos: Rheum-Derm Collaboration in Psoriasis Care" takes up the question of how two specialties can stop working in isolation.

Saakshi Khattri, MD, explains how multi-year safety data with risankizumab inform discussions with patients who are concerned about the long-term risks of remaining on therapy.

Most psoriatic arthritis is preceded by psoriasis, which puts dermatologists on the front line of early detection. The panel details which patients warrant a closer look and how to screen efficiently.

Plaque psoriasis has reached total clearance for many patients, yet psoriatic arthritis still lags behind. The panel opens by mapping where the two halves of psoriatic disease diverge.

Saakshi Khattri, MD, summarizes integrated long-term safety data across risankizumab’s psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis programs.

Saakshi Khattri, MD, reviews 5-year extension data of risankizumab in psoriatic arthritis, emphasizing sustained radiographic non-progression and durability of clinical response.

Saakshi Khattri, MD, describes how risk factors for psoriatic arthritis influence her decision to use IL-23 inhibitors such as risankizumab as first-line systemic therapy in psoriasis.

Saakshi Khattri, MD, discusses how real-world comparative effectiveness data suggest a potential class-level signal for risankizumab and IL-23 inhibition in reducing the risk of psoriatic arthritis among patients with psoriasis.

This June episode of the podcast highlights one clinicians journey and experiences as a woman physician in the dermatology and rheumatology fields.

In this episode, the panelists review long-term efficacy data for bimekizumab presented at EADV 2025, focusing on sustained remission and disease control in psoriasis. The experts highlight that approximately 49% of patients maintained complete skin clearance (PASI 100) from month 4 through year 4, with about 72% sustaining complete or near-complete clearance over the same period. They interpret these findings as strong evidence of durability and depth of response, underscoring bimekizumab’s ability to maintain remission over years rather than months. The discussion also includes nail outcomes, with nearly 80% of patients maintaining NAPSI 0, indicating resolution of nail involvement—an important factor given its association with psoriatic arthritis risk. The panelists emphasize that by achieving and maintaining high levels of clearance in both skin and nails, bimekizumab may help interrupt the inflammatory progression that leads to PsA, reinforcing its role in comprehensive disease control.

In this episode, the panelists discuss how the definition of treatment success and remission in psoriasis has evolved. Historically, achieving PASI 75 was considered adequate, but the experts explain that PASI 100, or complete skin clearance, is now the preferred benchmark. They reference the National Psoriasis Foundation’s 2025 consensus statement, which defines remission as maintaining ≤1% body surface area involvement for at least six months and a DLQI score of 0 or 1, indicating no impact on quality of life. The panelists emphasize that complete skin clearance reflects a deeper suppression of systemic inflammation and may reduce the risk of psoriatic arthritis. They also highlight that visible clearance serves as a practical measure in the absence of validated biomarkers. With current systemic therapies making PASI 100 an attainable goal, the experts agree that striving for sustained remission represents both clinical success and improved long-term outcomes.

In this episode, the panelists address key barriers to adopting a preventive treatment approach in psoriatic disease. The experts agree that insurance approval and prior authorization processes remain the most significant obstacles to initiating early systemic therapy. They describe the administrative challenges involved, including formulary restrictions, step therapy requirements, and the extensive time needed to secure coverage. Many dermatology practices have responded by employing biologic coordinators to handle these complex approval procedures, allowing clinicians to focus on patient care. The panelists also discuss patient-driven barriers, such as direct-to-consumer advertising that influences medication requests, and cases where patients seek drugs inappropriate for their specific disease subtype. Through these examples, the experts highlight how both system-level hurdles and patient perceptions can delay optimal therapy. They emphasize the importance of advocacy, education, and workflow support to overcome these barriers and enable earlier, prevention-focused management of psoriatic disease.

In this episode, the panelists explore how to balance the benefits and risks of initiating systemic therapy early in patients with psoriasis who do not yet have joint involvement. The experts discuss that starting treatment is more straightforward in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, where strong clinical data support systemic use. However, the decision becomes more nuanced for those with limited disease. In such cases, factors like lesion location (nail, scalp, or other special sites), previous treatment failures, and patient motivation play an important role. The panel emphasizes the importance of shared decision-making, considering both the clinical picture and patient preferences. They note that even in mild cases, residual skin inflammation reflects ongoing systemic activity, and early therapy may still provide long-term benefits. The experts conclude that treatment should address both disease burden and patient quality of life, while maintaining a risk–benefit balance.

In this episode, the panelists focus on evaluating the safety profile of IL-17 inhibitors in psoriatic disease. The experts explain that IL-17 therapies are generally well tolerated and offer a favorable safety profile compared with older systemic agents like TNF inhibitors and methotrexate, which require frequent lab monitoring. They note that while all IL-17 inhibitors share certain class effects, the most commonly observed adverse event is mucosal or oral candidiasis, which is typically mild, manageable, and tends to decrease over time. The panelists emphasize careful patient selection, avoiding IL-17 inhibitors in individuals with a history of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), given the risk of exacerbation. They briefly discuss safety observations from dual IL-17A and IL-17F blockade, noting reports of liver enzyme elevation and mood changes, though these lack strong mechanistic evidence. Overall, the experts conclude that IL-17 inhibitors provide a safe, targeted, and effective option for long-term psoriasis and PsA management.