Icotyde may provide clearest test yet of demand for oral psoriasis drugs

The launch of Icotyde icotrokinra from Protagonist and J&J will test demand for oral psoriasis therapies in a market dominated by injectable biologics. By narrowing the efficacy gap between approved oral and injectable drugs, Icotyde should provide a clearer read than earlier oral launches on whether patients will trade daily dosing for avoiding injections.

On Tuesday, FDA approved Icotyde, an IL-23R-blocking peptide discovered by Protagonist Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:PTGX) and partnered with Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), to treat psoriasis in patients aged 12 and older. The drug is the first oral therapy against the target and sets a new standard for efficacy among oral psoriasis drugs...