BACKGROUND: Tapinarof cream 1% once daily, an aryl hydrocarbon receptor-modulating agent, was significantly more efficacious than vehicle and well tolerated in two 12-week phase 3 trials in adults with mild to severe plaque psoriasis.
OBJECTIVE: To assess long-term safety, efficacy, remittive effect, durability of response, and tolerability of tapinarof.
METHODS: Patients completing the 12-week trials were eligible for 40-weeks\u27 open-label treatment and 4-weeks\u27 follow-up. Treatment was based on the Physician Global Assessment (PGA) score. Patients entering with PGA≥1 received tapinarof until PGA = 0. Patients with PGA = 0 discontinued tapinarof and were monitored for remittive effect. Patients with PGA≥2 were re-treated until PGA = 0.
RESULTS: Overall, 91.6% (n = 763) of eligible patients enrolled; 40.9% of patients achieved complete disease clearance (PGA = 0), and 58.2% entering with PGA≥2 achieved PGA = 0 or 1. Mean duration of off therapy remittive effect for patients achieving PGA = 0 was 130.1 days. No new safety signals were observed. Most frequent adverse events were folliculitis (22.7%), contact dermatitis (5.5%), and upper respiratory tract infection (4.7%).
LIMITATIONS: Open-label; no control; may not be generalizable to all forms of psoriasis; remittive effect/response rate potentially underestimated.
CONCLUSIONS: Efficacy improved beyond the 12-week trials, with a 40.9% complete disease clearance rate, ∼4-month off therapy remittive effect, durability on therapy, and consistent safety
