What is Sotyktu (deucravacitinib)?

From the Guidelines

Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) is a tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor, a class of drugs that block specific inflammatory pathways involved in psoriasis, and is approved for treating moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults. The medication works by selectively targeting TYK2, which may result in fewer systemic side effects compared to broader immunosuppressants 1.

Key Points to Consider

• The typical dosage of Sotyktu is 6 mg taken once daily, with or without food.
• Common side effects include upper respiratory infections, headache, herpes simplex infections, and increased risk of infections.
• Before starting Sotyktu, patients should undergo screening for tuberculosis and other infections.
• This medication should not be used with certain immunosuppressive therapies or live vaccines.
• Regular monitoring by a healthcare provider is necessary during treatment to assess effectiveness and watch for potential side effects.

Important Considerations

• Improvement in psoriasis symptoms typically begins within a few weeks, with maximum benefit often seen after several months of consistent use.
• The taskforce did not include TYK2 inhibition in the current recommendations for psoriatic arthritis due to limited data, particularly for safety 2.
• However, as an approved treatment for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, Sotyktu can be considered a viable option for patients with this condition, with careful monitoring and consideration of potential side effects.

From the FDA Drug Label

SOTYKTU is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who may benefit from taking injections or pills (systemic therapy) or treatment using ultraviolet or UV light (phototherapy). Sotyktu is a prescription medicine used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults.

• It is not known if SOTYKTU is safe and effective in children under 18 years of age.
• The active ingredient in SOTYKTU is deucravacitinib, a tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor. 3

From the Research

What is Sotyktu

• Sotyktu, also known as deucravacitinib, is a newly approved oral agent for managing moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy 4.
• It is a highly selective allosteric tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor that targets dysregulated cytokine responses in psoriasis patients 4, 5.
• Deucravacitinib has shown clinical efficacy in phase II and III clinical trials, with a significantly higher proportion of patients achieving a reduction of greater than 75% in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75) at week 16 5, 6.
• The recommended dosing regimen of deucravacitinib is 6 mg once daily, and it has been shown to be well-tolerated with a safety profile that includes mild adverse events, such as nasopharyngitis, and serious adverse events reported in a small percentage of patients 4, 5.

Mechanism of Action

• Deucravacitinib works by binding to the pseudokinase domain of tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) and locking the kinase in an inactive state, thereby arresting TYK2-mediated signaling cascades and disabling the upregulation of proinflammatory genes implicated in psoriasis 7.
• This mechanism of action is different from biologics, which work by blocking extracellular targets involved in the immune response 7.

Efficacy and Safety

• Deucravacitinib has been shown to be effective in improving moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, including scalp psoriasis, with response rates significantly higher than placebo and apremilast 6, 8.
• The safety profile of deucravacitinib is consistent with the entire study population, with adverse events similar to those with placebo and apremilast 6, 8.
• Deucravacitinib has been shown to be well-tolerated, with no serious infections, thromboembolic events, or laboratory abnormalities reported in clinical trials 7.