The following is a summary of “Deucravacitinib versus placebo and apremilast in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: Efficacy and safety results from the 52-week, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled phase 3 POETYK PSO-1 trial,” published in the January 2023 issue of Dermatology by Armstrong, et al.

There was a need for efficient, well-tolerated oral psoriasis therapies. For a study, researchers sought to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of deucravacitinib, an oral, selective, allosteric tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor, in individuals with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in comparison to placebo and apremilast.

In the 52-week, double-blinded, phase 3 POETYK PSO-1 experiment, participants were randomized 2:1:1 to receive apremilast 30 mg twice daily, placebo, or deucravacitinib 6 mg daily (n = 332). Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75) response rates for ≥75% decrease from baseline and a static Physician’s Global Assessment score of 0 or 1 (sPGA 0/1) with deucravacitinib vs placebo at week 16 were coprimary end goals.

Deucravacitinib substantially improved response rates for PASI 75 (194 [58.4%] vs 21 [12.7%] vs 59 [35.1%]; P < .0001) and sPGA 0/1 (178 [53.6%] vs 12 [7.2%] vs 54 [32.1%]; P < .0001). Beyond week 16, efficacy increased and persisted through week 52. Deucravacitinib’s adverse event rates were comparable to those for placebo and apremilast.

Multiple effectiveness endpoints showed deucravacitinib to be superior to placebo and apremilast, and it was well tolerated in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

Reference: jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(22)02256-3/fulltext