LED Device May Offer Psoriasis Patients a More Individualized Treatment Option

The global company Royal Philips, which offers a range of products in cookware, dental care, electronics, and more, has announced a light-emitting diode (LED) device that may offer a new treatment option for patients with psoriasis.

The Philips Blue Control device emits blue LED light to control mild to moderate cases of psoriasis vulgaris. The device is enabled by 40 high-intensity blue LEDs, which can be tailored to an individual patient’s needs, and is free of ultraviolet (UV) light. The Blue Control device has an adjustable strap and can be worn on affected arms, legs, elbows, and knees. It is battery-operated.

Philips conducted two clinical trials of the Blue Control device, in partnership with the University Hospital of Aachen in Germany, to assess safety and efficacy of the device to reduce psoriasis vulgaris symptoms. According to a release from Philips, in the second trial that took place over four months, patients were treated for 12 weeks. On average, a 50% reduction in symptoms was observed. Results were collected via assessment with the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI). No negative side effects were observed.

“Research proves that blue LED light treatment slows down rapid cell division and can also reduce inflammation,” explains Matthias Born, head of clinical affairs for Philips’ Light and Health business. “This research has enabled us to develop, for the first time, an unprecedented treatment device that can make a real difference to the lives of sufferers of psoriasis vulgaris.”

LEDs used for medical treatments require special features that exceed those of conventional LEDs, including high intensities and tailored adjustments such as pulsed LED light. According to the press release from Philips, the BlueControl device is “the result of rigorous research with clinical and academic partners and a complex optimization procedure to enable medical grade features to be included in a compact, easy-to-use design.”

The company notes that the Blue Control device will be introduced to international healthcare professionals at the European Academy of Dermatology & Venereology Congress, which is being held from October 8^th-12^th in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The new device will be prescribed by physicians and available through distributors in The Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom starting in October 2014.

For more information on the Blue Control device, please click here.