A Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Study on the Safety and Efficacy of Etanercept in Palmoplantar Pustulosis

Inclusion Criteria: * Palmoplantar pustulosis with a severity score of at least 8 on hands and-or feet * Age 18 years or older * Patient who would benefit from systemic therapy * Unless surgically sterile (or at least 1 year post-menopausal for women) patients (heterosexual men and women) must have used a effective method of contraception for at least 30 days before the start of the study drug and until at least 1 month after the last drug administration * Informed consent obtained * Normal or non clinically significant chest X ray taken within 6 months of screening * Negative serum pregnancy test at screening and negative urine pregnancy test at day 0 for women of childbearing potential * Negative personal history of tuberculosis * Presence of PPP for more than 6 months * Subject must be willing to inject themselves subcutaneously. * Negative PPD results Exclusion Criteria: * Use of topical steroids, topical tar preparations, or other topical anti PPP or anti-psoriatic preparations within the past two weeks * Unstable forms of psoriasis (acute guttate psoriasis, psoriatic erythroderma, generalized pustular psoriasis) * At the investigator's discretion any significant infection within 30 days of screening or a patient at risk of septicemia * Presence of acute forms of tinea pedis and other causes of pustular eruptions of the palms and soles apart from PPP based on clinical evaluation * Evidence of any skin condition that would interfere with the evaluation of PPP * Use of investigational drugs within the past four weeks * Use of systemic anti-PPP or anti-psoriatic drugs such as steroids, retinoids, or methotrexate within the past four weeks * Use of parenteral systemic antibiotics within the past four weeks * Use of cyclosporine within the past four weeks * Use of ultraviolet light therapy (UVB, nbUVB or PUVA) within the past two weeks * An unstable or serious medical condition * Known sero-positivity for the HIV virus * Known hypersensitivity to etanercept or one of its components * Receipt of live attenuated vaccines 12 weeks or less before Day 0 and during the course of the study * Pregnant or breast feeding female subject * Any significant medical condition that might cause this study to be detrimental to the patient * At the investigator's discretion current or history of alcohol or drug abuse that would interfere with the ability to comply with the study protocol * Presence of congestive heart failure * Presence of a demyelinating disorder (optic neuritis, multiple sclerosis or other)