Mycophenolate mofetil: a new therapeutic option in dermatology

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) was introduced in the 1970s as a treatment for psoriasis, it has since been reformulated as mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). With an improved side effect profile and enhanced bioavailability, MMF is a promising drug for immune-mediated skin diseases. It is currently approved for the prevention of organ rejection. Its list of dermatological indications continues to grow. As a noncompetitive inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), MMF inhibits de novo purine synthesis. Its relative lack of hepatonephrotoxicity and perhaps low risk of carcinogenicity offer important therapeutic advantages. This new formulation showed enhanced bioavailability, tolerability and efficacy. No doubt case reports and case series of MMF therapy dominate the dermatologic literature; preliminary results are sufficiently promising to warrant larger, randomized clinical trials with this emerging therapy