Johnson & Johnson releases 2-year psoriasis drug data at dermatology meeting

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) presented two-year results from the Phase 3 ICONIC-LEAD study of ICOTYDE (icotrokinra) in adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference on Oct. 9, 2026.

The study tracked 684 participants aged 12 and older, including 66 adolescents. At Week 112, at least 72% of ICOTYDE-treated patients achieved a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score improvement of 90%, and at least 70% achieved clear or almost clear skin as measured by the Investigator's Global Assessment. Complete skin clearance was recorded in at least 44% of patients, while 78% sustained clinically meaningful itch improvement from Week 64 through Week 112.

Among patients who had achieved PASI 90 response and were withdrawn from the drug at Week 24, 85% regained that response within 24 weeks of retreatment. No new safety signals were identified through Week 112.

"As plaque psoriasis is a chronic lifelong disease, durable results are essential in therapy selection," said Mark Lebwohl, M.D., Professor and Chair Emeritus of Dermatology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and a paid consultant for Johnson & Johnson who served as a study investigator.

ICOTYDE is described by the company as a targeted oral peptide that blocks the IL-23 receptor. It is currently approved in the U.S. for adults and pediatric patients aged 12 and older weighing at least 40 kg, and is also approved in Europe, Japan, and China. The drug was jointly discovered through a license and collaboration agreement between Protagonist Therapeutics and Johnson & Johnson, with Johnson & Johnson holding exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize it.

ICOTYDE is also under investigation for psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease. Reported common side effects include headache, nausea, cough, fungal infection, and fatigue.

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