VIDEO: Novel topical agent improves psoriasis outcomes

In this video, April Armstrong, MD, MPH, of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, discussed improvements seen in secondary efficacy endpoints with topical tapinarof, an aryl hydrocarbon receptor modulating agent that is in late phase development, that were presented at AAD VMX 2021.

Specifically, the researchers found that patients with psoriasis who were assigned tapinarof cream vs. placebo had a greater reduction in mean body surface area affected and were more likely to achieve Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score of 90 after 12 weeks of treatment. Overall, the medication was also well tolerated, according to Armstrong.

“I’m excited about the topical space in psoriasis because for a very long time, we haven’t really had new mechanism of action in terms of drug development in this area and now we are seeing steroid-sparing medications,” Armstrong said. “I think that will really change the face of how we treat our patients topically.”