Takeda showcases high-impact site efficacy for zasocitinib at AAD Innovation Academy

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) [reported](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260716820927/en/Takedas-Zasocitinib-Demonstrates-Consistent-High-Rates-of-Skin-Clearance-Across-the-Body-Including-Hard-to-Treat-and-High-Impact-Sites-in-Phase-3-Psoriasis-Studies) new secondary endpoint data from its two pivotal Phase III trials of [zasocitinib](https://app.allsci.com/drugs/ASC-DR-0000000043400-1.0-1775585065) (TAK-279), showing the oral drug cleared psoriasis at scalp, palm, sole and nail sites — areas that are disproportionately disabling for patients and have historically been harder to treat than trunk or limb lesions with systemic therapies. The data, presented at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology Innovation Academy, extend topline results disclosed in December 2025 and are among the first detailed analyses Takeda has presented as it prepares a planned US FDA submission later this fiscal year. Zasocitinib is an oral, allosteric tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor that binds the enzyme's regulatory pseudokinase domain rather than its catalytic site, blocking signaling downstream of IL-23, IL-12 and type I interferon receptors without materially inhibiting JAK1, JAK2 or JAK3. It is not yet approved by any regulatory authority. In the LATITUDE PsO 3001 and 3002 trials — global, randomized, double-blind studies of 693 and 1,108 adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, run against placebo and Amgen's Otezla (apremilast) — 77% and 74% of patients with scalp disease achieved clear or almost clear skin (ssPGA 0/1) at week 16, versus 7% and 13% on placebo and 42% and 30% on apremilast (p\<0.001 for both comparisons). In the palmoplantar subgroup, roughly 70% of zasocitinib patients reached hfPGA 0/1 versus 22% and 10% on placebo and 44% and 43% on apremilast. Nail psoriasis improved significantly on the NAPSI score versus placebo (p\<0.001), with responses across all three sites sustained through week 24. The most common adverse events through week 24 were upper respiratory tract infection, nasopharyngitis and acne, with no new safety signals. The comparator data against apremilast matter commercially: apremilast remains the dominant oral option for patients unwilling to take injectable biologics, but its efficacy ceiling is well below that of injectables, and zasocitinib's Phase III results strengthen its competitive positioning against apremilast, the leading oral therapy for patients who prefer not to use biologics. Another direct competitor is Bristol Myers Squibb's Sotyktu (deucravacitinib), the first-approved oral TYK2 inhibitor, which similarly targets the JH2 pseudokinase domain; Takeda's high-impact-site data give it a specific selling point against Sotyktu. Scalp, palmoplantar and nail psoriasis are often associated with greater pain, functional impairment and quality-of-life burden than plaques on other body sites, making them important measures of clinical benefit. Both oral TYK2 inhibitors still trail the newest injectable and oral IL-23-pathway agents, including Johnson & Johnson's recently approved icotrokinra, on peak skin-clearance rates, but neither requires the injection burden of biologics. Beyond psoriasis, Takeda is running Phase III studies of zasocitinib in psoriatic arthritis and Phase II studies in Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, vitiligo and hidradenitis suppurativa, reflecting a strategy of maximizing the molecule's reach across TYK2-driven immune diseases before an anticipated psoriasis approval. *** This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed and edited by the AllSci editorial team. Explore more at AllSci News: [https://allsci.com/news/](https://allsci.com/news/) --- Spot something wrong? [Report an issue with this article](https://newsgen-prod.reframedata.com/feedback/zasocitinib-psoriasis-takedas-clears)