Efficacy of Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Nail Psoriasis: Two 52-week, Randomized, Controlled Phase 3 Studies in Patients with Moderate-to-severe Plaque Psoriasis

Background: Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor. Efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis have been demonstrated.

Objective: We sought to assess the efficacy of tofacitinib for the treatment of nail psoriasis over a period of 52 weeks.

Methods: In 2 identical phase 3 studies (OPT Pivotal 1 and 2), patients were randomized 2:2:1 to receive tofacitinib 5 mg, tofacitinib 10 mg, or placebo, twice daily. At week 16, placebo-treated patients were re-randomized to tofacitinib. This post hoc analysis of patients with existing nail psoriasis assessed the Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) score and proportions of patients achieving ≥50% reduction in NAPSI from baseline (NAPSI50), NAPSI75, or NAPSI100.

Results: Baseline mean NAPSI scores for patients treated with tofacitinib 5 mg (N = 487), tofacitinib 10 mg (N = 476), and placebo (N = 233) twice daily were 27.0, 27.3, and 26.9, respectively. At week 16, significantly (all P < .05) more patients receiving tofacitinib 5 mg and tofacitinib 10 mg versus placebo twice daily achieved NAPSI50 (32.8%, 44.2% vs 12.0%), NAPSI75 (16.9%, 28.1% vs 6.8%), and NAPSI100 (10.3%, 18.2% vs 5.1%), respectively. Improvements were sustained to week 52.

Limitations: Limitations include discontinuation of clinical nonresponders at week 28.

Conclusions: Tofacitinib treatment resulted in improvements in nail psoriasis versus placebo at week 16; improvements were maintained over 52 weeks [NCT01276639; NCT01309737].