The soluble tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor etanercept [Enbrel] produced high response rates in a phase III study involving more than 600 patients with psoriasis. Data presented at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology [Washington DC, US; February 2004] have shown that responses were maintained for approximately 3 months after treatment was discontinued, and that retreatment with etanercept after relapse produced similar reductions in PASI scores to those achieved with the original course of the drug. Furthermore, data from patients who did not achieve adequate responses during the initial 24-week treatment period showed that persisting with etanercept therapy can produce significant improvement in symptoms and QOL.