Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda (TSE:4502) (NYSE:TAK) on Wednesday reported Phase 3 results showing that zasocitinib achieved statistically superior efficacy versus deucravacitinib across the primary and all key secondary endpoints in the LATITUDE Atlas head-to-head study in plaque psoriasis.

At week 16, 36.5% of patients receiving zasocitinib achieved complete skin clearance (PASI 100), compared with 13.9% for deucravacitinib, while PASI 90 rates were 62.5% and 34.0%, respectively.

Zasocitinib also produced higher rates of clear skin based on static Physician Global Assessment, at 43.2% versus 18.5% for deucravacitinib.

Takeda said higher rates of complete skin clearance were observed as early as week 8, while zasocitinib was generally well tolerated and no new safety signals were identified.

Additional Phase 3 data from LATITUDE PsO 3001 and 3002 showed durable skin clearance through week 52, with up to 93% of patients who achieved a response at week 24 maintaining their results through week 52 in PsO 3001. Patients treated with zasocitinib also reported improvements in itch and quality of life as early as week 2, with continued improvements through week 24.

Zasocitinib is an investigational, next-generation oral tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor being evaluated as a once-daily treatment for adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.