Fully 50.5% of adult psoriasis patients eligible for systemic therapy and 47.5% of dermatology providers would prefer oral treatment over topicals or injectables, a new survey shows.
The ENCOMPASS study is a cross-sectional survey of 400 adults and 200 adolescents with psoriasis and 200 dermatology providers. The findings, which were presented at the 2025 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference in Las Vegas, NV, aim to characterize the clinical profile of patients, quantify disease burden, evaluate treatment preferences and goals, and assess the impact of psoriasis on patient quality of life (QoL) using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI/cDLQI).
In addition to preference for an oral therapy, the key findings show that psoriasis imposes a significant disease burden, profoundly affecting patient QoL.
- More than half (55%) of adult patients indicated a “very large” or “extremely large” QoL impact (DLQI ≥11), and 21% indicated a moderate impact (DLQI 6-10).
- QoL impact was even higher among adolescents: 71% of those aged 16-17 years and 77% of those aged 12-15 years reported a very large or extremely large QoL impact (DLQI≥11 or cDLQI≥13).
- Perceived disease burden was primarily influenced by skin symptoms (67.3%), severity (47%), lesion location (45.5%), lack of effective treatments (24.8%), impact on social activities (24.3%), and mental health (23.5%).
- Of patients currently treated with injectables, 91.2% expressed a willingness to switch to an equally effective new oral treatment with favorable safety.
- Providers indicated they would prefer an oral therapy if efficacy, safety, and tolerability were equivalent among the modes of administration.
- Oral treatment was preferred among both patients and healthcare providers (50.5% and 47.5%, respectively), followed by topicals (34.3% and 20.0%) and injectables (15.3% and 22.0%).
“Psoriasis is much more than skin deep—among its far-reaching effects are a significant disease burden. We see it disrupt sleep and affect mental health, which has a profound impact on the quality of life of patients,” says Linda Stein Gold, MD, Director of Dermatology Clinical Research at Henry Ford Health and study investigator, in a news release. “This research shows the importance of addressing both the clinical aspects of psoriasis as well as the broader dimensions of daily life, and underscores that patients prefer oral treatments.”
More About Icotrokinra
Icotrokinra is an investigational oral interleukin (IL)-23. It was jointly discovered and is being developed pursuant to the license and collaboration agreement between Protagonist and Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson retains exclusive worldwide rights to develop icotrokinra in Phase 2 clinical trials and beyond, and to commercialize compounds derived from the research conducted pursuant to the agreement against a broad range of indications.
Johnson & Johnson recently submitted an application to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for what could be the first-ever approval of icotrokinra for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in people aged 12 and up. The company has also initiated the Phase 3 ICONIC-ASCEND study, the first-ever head-to-head study seeking to demonstrate the superiority of an oral pill, icotrokinra, compared to an injectible biologic, ustekinumab, in psoriasis.
