WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14, 2024 -- Apremilast improves signs and symptoms of moderate-to-severe genital psoriasis, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Joseph F. Merola, M.D., from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and colleagues examined the efficacy and safety of apremilast 30 mg twice daily in patients with genital psoriasis in a phase 3 randomized trial (DISCREET). Patients with moderate-to-severe genital psoriasis were randomly allocated to apremilast or placebo (143 and 146 individuals, respectively) for a 16-week period.

The researchers found that 39.6 and 19.5 percent of patients in the apremilast and placebo groups, respectively, achieved a modified static Physician Global Assessment of Genitalia response at week 16, and the 20.1 percent treatment difference was significant. There were improvements observed in genital signs and symptoms, skin involvement, and quality of life. Diarrhea, headache, nausea, and nasopharyngitis were the most common treatment-emergent adverse events reported.

"Results from DISCREET demonstrated statistically significant and clinically important treatment differences favoring apremilast, including meaningful improvements in disease severity and symptoms, despite participants having a long disease duration," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to biopharmaceutical companies, including Amgen, which manufactures apremilast and funded the study.