Dr Koh Hong Yi Speaks on Psoriasis: From Relapses to Long-Term Remission at World Psoriasis Day

October 2026

On 24th October 2026, Dr Koh Hong Yi was invited by the Psoriasis Association of Singapore (PAS) to deliver a talk in Mandarin on the new developments in psoriasis treatment. Dr Koh chose the topic “Psoriasis – From Relapses to Long-Term Remission”, focusing on the latest research in psoriasis, which showed that early and effective treatment with biologics can lead to long-lasting remission for many patients.

The basis of this claim arises from a few key research papers published recently in major dermatology journals,^i,ii,iii,iv which showed that patients who have had psoriasis for a shorter period of time have a better, faster, and more lasting response to biologics compared to patients who have had disease for a longer time.

It is believed that patients who have had psoriasis for a shorter time had accumulated fewer “immune-memory cells” in their skin, which are responsible for disease relapses. By receiving treatment early, these few memory cells may be more easily erased from the body, allowing patients to stay clear of psoriasis even after treatment is stopped. This clarification is important, as some patients (especially in Asian cultures) believe that the most effective treatments should be reserved for last, when their disease has become severe. Research findings refute this belief and support early, effective therapy for psoriasis.

Dr Koh also shared tips on how patients with psoriasis should take care of themselves and improve their health. These include gaining knowledge about psoriasis from proper medical channels, building a supportive network of family and friends, managing stress, and going for regular health reviews with their doctors.

Dr Koh is a senior dermatologist with more than 20 years of experience. He specialises in the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders, including psoriasis and eczema. Dr Koh is proficient in the use of the latest medical treatments including biologics. He is fluent in English and Chinese.

许弘毅医生于世界银屑病日主讲：银屑病——从反复复发到长期缓解

2026年10月24日，许弘毅医生应新加坡银屑病协会（PAS）邀请，以华语主讲一场关于银屑病治疗新进展的讲座。许医生选定的题目为《银屑病——从反复复发到长期缓解》，重点介绍银屑病的最新研究。研究显示，及早使用生物制剂进行有效治疗，可使许多患者获得长期、持久的缓解。

这一观点的依据来自近期发表于多份重要皮肤科期刊的几篇关键研究论文。^i,ii,iii,iv 这些研究发现，与病程较长的患者相比，病程较短的患者对生物制剂的反应更好、更快，且疗效更持久。

研究人员认为，病程较短的患者皮肤中积累的"免疫记忆细胞"较少，而这些细胞正是导致病情复发的原因。及早接受治疗，这些为数不多的记忆细胞或许更容易从体内清除，使患者即使在停药后仍能保持皮损清除、不再复发。这一澄清十分重要，因为部分患者（尤其在亚洲文化中）认为，最有效的治疗应当留到最后、等病情变得严重时才使用。研究结果推翻了这种观念，并支持对银屑病进行及早、有效的治疗。

许医生也分享了银屑病患者如何照顾自己、改善健康的建议，包括：通过正规医疗渠道了解银屑病的相关知识、建立由家人和朋友组成的支持网络、做好压力管理，以及定期与医生进行健康检查。

许医生是一名资深皮肤科医生，拥有超过20年的临床经验，专注于治疗银屑病和湿疹等炎症性皮肤病，熟练运用包括生物制剂在内的最新医学疗法。他能说流利的英语和华语。

References:

[i] Schäkel K, Reich K, Asadullah K, et al. Early disease intervention with guselkumab in psoriasis leads to a higher rate of stable complete skin clearance ('clinical super response'): week 28 results from the ongoing phase IIIb randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, GUIDE study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2023;37:2016–2027.

[ii] Eyerich K, Asadullah K, Pinter A, et al. Noninferiority of 16-week vs 8-week guselkumab dosing in super responders for maintaining control of psoriasis: the GUIDE randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatol 2024;160(9):953–963.

[iii] Asadullah K, Schäkel K, Pinter A, et al. GUIDE trial (part 3): following guselkumab withdrawal and a long treatment-free period, disease control is rapidly regained upon re-treatment in psoriasis super-responders. J Am Acad Dermatol 2024;91(3 Suppl):AB222 (abstract 49730); Schäkel K, Asadullah K, Pinter A, et al. GUIDE trial results after withdrawal in part 3: long-term remission in patients with psoriasis treated with guselkumab within 15 months from onset of symptoms. J Am Acad Dermatol 2024;91(3 Suppl):AB222 (abstract 50236).

[iv] Blauvelt A, Jiang R, Shi L, et al. A randomized phase 2 clinical trial to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis patients with high-induction dosing of risankizumab (KNOCKOUT; NCT05283135). Nat Commun 2026;17:733.