From Isolation to Empowerment: Effective Care and Support for Plaque Psoriasis Patients

If you have a chronic condition, you are likely well-versed in the struggles that come hand in hand with navigating symptoms, and understand how challenging it can be to find ways to best partner with your doctor. Patient engagement—when patients actively participate in their care—can boost their confidence and ability to successfully manage their illness.¹

Patient engagement can come in a variety of forms, from finding support groups where you can share experiences and give advice to others, to asking your doctor questions. In fact, it’s particularly essential to have an ongoing dialogue with your doctor about your condition, your symptoms and your care plan.

One chronic disease, plaque psoriasis, is best managed in partnership with a dermatology specialist. Moderate to severe plaque psoriasis is an immune condition that causes dry, itchy, scaly patches (or plaques) to form across the skin², and it affects nearly 2 million Americans.³ The visible plaques and underlying inflammation can touch many aspects of a person’s life—from dating and work to travel and fashion.

Partnering with your doctor to treat psoriasis in a tricky area

Plaque psoriasis is systemic, meaning it starts inside your body and isn’t just on your skin. One area that is particularly difficult to treat is the scalp. Award-winning actor and comedian Ted Danson has been living with plaque psoriasis since his 20s and has experienced plaques in this hard-to-treat area.

“I remember being worried my psoriasis would mess with my hair,” says Ted. “It may sound superficial, but my hair was, and is, important to me. Psoriasis can go beyond the visible symptoms and that can feel hard to explain to others.”

Approximately 80% of people living with plaque psoriasis experience symptoms involving their scalp, and may be dealing with itching, flaking, pain and hair loss, which can greatly diminish their quality of life.^4,5

By relying on their support systems and remaining committed to advocating for themselves, patients may find that a plaque psoriasis diagnosis does not have to define their lives.

Emily, who also lives with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, shared a similar experience to Ted’s. She detailed how she used to wash her hair multiple times in a day, sometimes using medicated shampoos or other products.

Eventually, she realized she needed more help and learned to advocate for herself by discussing these issues with her dermatologist. Together, they decided that SOTYKTU (pronounced soh-TIK-too) (deucravacitinib)—a once-daily pill for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis that works inside the body—was the right choice for her.

How SOTYKTU can help with plaques, including on the scalp

In studies involving 1,684 adults, 841 received SOTYKTU, 421 received placebo, and 422 received a different medication.⁶ In one study, half of the participants receiving SOTYKTU achieved clear or almost clear skin with 16 weeks of treatment compared to 9% of those on placebo.⁶ Furthermore, more than half (53%) of SOTYKTU users experienced 75% clearer skin compared to 9% of those on placebo.⁶

In the same study, of the 478 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis with plaques on their scalp, 60% of patients saw a clear or almost clear scalp after taking SOTYKTU for 16 weeks, compared to 37% taking a different medication.⁶

“With SOTYKTU, my plaques improved, and I didn’t have to rely on my medicated shampoos anymore,” says Emily.

Since beginning SOTYKTU, Emily has not only seen her symptoms improve but has also reclaimed the hours each day that she previously spent trying to cope with the itching and plaques. Now, she enjoys spending that time on things she enjoys, like playing with her rescue pup, Cricket.

It’s important to be aware of any side effects that may come up when starting a new treatment, so be sure to talk with your dermatology specialist. The most common side effects of SOTYKTU include the common cold, sore throats and sinus infections (upper respiratory infections), cold sores (herpes simplex), sores on the inner lips, gums, tongue or roof of the mouth (canker sores), inflamed hair pores (folliculitis) and acne.⁶ These are not all the possible side effects of SOTYKTU. Please see below for full Important Safety Information for SOTYKTU.

Finding community among patients

Looking back on her treatment journey and experience with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, Emily emphasizes how important it was to speak with both her doctors and others with the condition. “It’s been a very long journey,” she says, “and through many conversations and appointments with my doctors, and talking to other people that have psoriasis, I’m here on the other side and happy to share my story.”

Ted experienced feelings of anger and isolation when he first received his diagnosis. “I was diagnosed with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis at 25 years old. I have to admit, I was angry receiving that diagnosis—it felt like my body was somehow betraying me,” he says. “Managing my symptoms was difficult, especially when it came to being on screen, and I didn’t want others to know about it.”

Many patients may relate to Ted’s discomfort and reluctance to talk about their symptoms. Finding community among others living with plaque psoriasis can elevate patients’ self-esteem and likelihood of learning about new treatment options to relieve symptoms.¹ This, in turn, can lead to meaningful conversations between patients and dermatologists.

Planning for the future

Another form of patient engagement involves staying informed about plaque psoriasis. Patients can do this by asking their doctors for educational materials to read and seeking reliable publications. Staying up to date on the latest medical information can help patients have informed discussions with their doctors.¹ Connecting with fellow patients, engaging in candid dialogue with doctors and staying informed leads to a well-informed and engaged patient.

Speaking with a dermatologist about treatment options that may remain effective over a longer period of time can also help patients avoid repeatedly returning to seek a new option. With SOTYKTU, about two-thirds (67%) of people in a clinical study had 75% clearer skin after five years of consistent use.⁷ In a follow-up study at 1 year and thereafter, 485 patients received continuous SOTYKTU through 5 years.⁷ Patients and physicians were aware of SOTYKTU treatment, which may have influenced their results.⁷

Everyone’s experience is different, and a conversation with your dermatologist is the first step toward finding out if SOTYKTU is right for you.

To get additional information on plaque psoriasis, learn how to have meaningful conversations with your dermatologist and read more about SOTYKTU, visit SoHaveYouFoundIt.com.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

INDICATION

SOTYKTU^® (deucravacitinib) 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).

It is not known if SOTYKTU is safe and effective in children under 18 years of age.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION about SOTYKTU (deucravacitinib)

SOTYKTU may cause serious side effects, including:

Serious allergic reactions. Stop taking SOTYKTU and get emergency medical help right away if you develop any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction:

• feel faint
• swelling of your face, eyelids, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
• trouble breathing or throat tightness
• chest tightness
• skin rash, hives

Infections. SOTYKTU is a medicine that affects your immune system. SOTYKTU can lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections and can increase your risk of infections. Some people have had serious infections while taking SOTYKTU, such as infections of the lungs, including pneumonia and tuberculosis (TB), and COVID-19.

• Your healthcare provider should check you for infections and TB before starting treatment with SOTYKTU and watch you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during SOTYKTU treatment.
• You may be treated for TB before you begin SOTYKTU treatment if you have a history of TB or have active TB.
• If you get a serious infection, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking SOTYKTU until your infection is controlled.

SOTYKTU should not be used in people with an active, serious infection, including localized infections. You should not start taking SOTYKTU if you have any kind of infection unless your healthcare provider tells you it is okay.

You may be at a higher risk of developing shingles (herpes zoster).

Before starting SOTYKTU, tell your healthcare provider if you:

• are being treated for an infection, or have had an infection that does not go away or keeps coming back
• have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB
• have or have had hepatitis B or C
• think you have an infection or have symptoms of an infection such as:
  • fever, sweats, or chills
  • muscle aches
  • weight loss
  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • blood in your phlegm (mucus)
  • warm, red, or painful skin or sores on your body different from your psoriasis
  • diarrhea or stomach pain
  • burning when you urinate or urinating more often than normal
  • feeling very tired

After you start taking SOTYKTU, call your healthcare provider right away if you have an infection or have symptoms of an infection.

SOTYKTU can make you more likely to get infections or make any infections you have worse.

Cancer. Certain kinds of cancer including lymphoma have been reported in people taking SOTYKTU. Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had any type of cancer.

Muscle problems (rhabdomyolysis). SOTYKTU can cause muscle problems that can be severe. Treatment with SOTYKTU may increase the level of an enzyme in your blood called creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and can be a sign of muscle damage. Increased CPK is common in people taking SOTYKTU. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking SOTYKTU if the amount of CPK in your blood gets too high or if you have signs and symptoms of severe muscle problems. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these signs or symptoms of severe muscle problems: unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, feeling very tired, fever, or dark-colored urine.

Do not take SOTYKTU if you are allergic to deucravacitinib or any of the ingredients in SOTYKTU.

Before taking SOTYKTU, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: have liver problems or kidney problems, have high levels of fat in your blood (triglycerides), or have recently received or are scheduled to receive an immunization (vaccine), as you should avoid receiving live vaccines during treatment with SOTYKTU.

Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if SOTYKTU can harm your unborn baby or if SOTYKTU passes into your breast milk.

• Report pregnancies to the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company’s Adverse Event reporting line at 1-800-721-5072

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Keep a list of them to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

Take SOTYKTU exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. Take SOTYKTU 1 time every day, with or without food. Do not crush, cut, or chew the SOTYKTU tablets.

SOTYKTU may cause serious side effects, including:

• Changes in certain laboratory test results. Changes in laboratory tests have happened in some people taking SOTYKTU. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests before you start taking SOTYKTU and during treatment with SOTYKTU to check for the following:
  • Increased triglycerides. Too much fat in your blood can cause problems with your heart.
  • Increased liver enzymes. If your liver enzymes increase too much, your healthcare provider may need to do additional tests on your liver and may tell you to stop taking SOTYKTU if they think that SOTYKTU is harming your liver.
• Potential risks from Janus kinase (JAK) inhibition. SOTYKTU is a tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor. TYK2 is in the JAK family. It is not known whether taking SOTYKTU has the same risks as taking JAK inhibitors. Increased risk of death (all causes) has happened in people who were 50 years of age and older with at least 1 heart disease (cardiovascular) risk factor who were taking a JAK inhibitor used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to people taking another medicine in a class of medicines called TNF blockers. SOTYKTU is not for use in people with RA.

The most common side effects of SOTYKTU include: common cold, sore throat and sinus infection (upper respiratory infections), cold sores (herpes simplex), sores on inner lips, gums, tongue, or roof of the mouth (canker sores), inflamed hair pores (folliculitis) and acne.

These are not all of the possible side effects of SOTYKTU.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see the U.S. Full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for SOTYKTU.

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References:

1. PMC: Impact of Patient Engagement on Healthcare Quality: A Scoping Review
2. Psoriasis.org: Plaque Psoriasis Symptoms
3. JAMA Dermatol: Armstrong Psoriasis Prevalence in Adults in the United States JAMA Dermatol 2021
4. NCBI: Scalp Psoriasis: A Literature Review of Effective Therapies and Updated Recommendations
5. Kim Blakely, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, ON, Canada: Management of scalp psoriasis: current perspectives, March 29, 2016
6. Prescribing Information: SOTYKTU PI
7.  Armstrong Abstract: Deucravacitinib in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, February 2025