Takeda's psoriasis pill succeeds in late-stage studies

March 28 (Reuters) - Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical 4502.T, TAK.N said on Saturday its experimental psoriasis pill helped about 70% of patients achieve clear or almost clear skin in two late-stage trials, raising the prospect of a convenient alternative to injectable treatments.

• The once-daily oral drug, zasocitinib, was being tested in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis — a chronic autoimmune condition in which red, scaly patches occur on the skin due to an overactive immune system.

• In the two late-stage trials, 71.4% and 69.2% of patients taking Takeda's drug achieved clear or almost clear skin at 16 weeks, compared with 10.7% and 12.6% of those on placebo.

• The studies also showed that 32.1% and 29.7% of patients treated with Amgen's AMGN.O psoriasis drug Otezla, or apremilast, reached similar levels of skin clearance.

• Among patients who responded by week 40 and stayed on the drug, more than 90% maintained their improvement through week 60, Takeda said.

• Treatment-related side effects, such as upper respiratory infections and acne, were reported in 62.1% of patients taking zasocitinib, compared with 46.9% on placebo and 50.5% on Amgen's Otezla, the company said.

• Zasocitinib is an experimental pill designed to block key immune pathways linked to psoriasis.

• Takeda said it is on track to file marketing applications with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory authorities this year.

• Takeda is also testing the drug in a head-to-head study against Bristol Myers Squibb's BMY.N Sotyktu in psoriasis, and in a late-stage study for psoriatic arthritis.