Sotyktu
Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) is a medication used to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults. It works as a tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor to lessen inflammation. Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) comes as a tablet that you take once a day, with or without food. Side effects include a higher risk of infections, like upper respiratory infections. Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) is only available as a brand-name medication.
What is Sotyktu (deucravacitinib)?
What is Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) used for?
- Moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults
How Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) works
Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) is a tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor. It attaches to a protein in the body called tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2). This protein is part of the Janus kinase (JAK) family and it plays a role in causing inflammation in the body.
It's not completely clear how Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) works to help treat plaque psoriasis. But scientists think that it blocks TYK2 to lower inflammation.
Drug facts
More on Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) essentials
Side effects of Sotyktu (deucravacitinib)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
Less Common Side Effects
- Herpes simplex infection (e.g., cold sores, genital herpes)
- Mouth ulcers or sores
- Swollen hair follicles
- Acne
- Higher triglyceride levels
Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Severe allergic reaction: rash, trouble breathing, feeling faint, swelling of the face or throat
- Serious infection: fever, weakness, chills, trouble breathing, cough, night sweats, diarrhea, stomach pain, burning when you urinate, urinating more or less often
- Severe muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis): dark brown urine, severe muscle weakness or pain, fever, tiredness
- Liver damage: nausea, stomach pain, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes
The following Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) side effects have also been reported
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
- Allergic reactions or angioedema—skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, arms, or legs, trouble swallowing or breathing
- Infection—fever, chills, cough, sore throat, wounds that don't heal, pain or trouble when passing urine, general feeling of discomfort or being unwell
- Muscle injury—unusual weakness or fatigue, muscle pain, dark yellow or brown urine, decrease in amount of urine
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
- Acne
- Pain, redness, or swelling with sores inside the mouth or throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Sinus pain or pressure around the face or forehead
- Small, red, pus-filled bumps on skin around hair follicles
Pros and cons of Sotyktu (deucravacitinib)
Pros
- Taken by mouth once a day
- Can take with or without food
- Safe to take if you have kidney problems or mild-to-moderate liver problems
Cons
- Can raise the risk of infections
- Have to get blood work done every so often to check for side effects
- Not approved for children
Pharmacist tips for Sotyktu (deucravacitinib)
- Take Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) once a day, with or without food.
- Swallow Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) tablets whole. Don't crush, cut, or chew them. Damaging the tablets can affect how the medication works.
- Keep taking Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) exactly as your psoriasis specialist told you. This is important even if you don't see your psoriasis get better right away. Some people might start seeing improvements within 4 weeks of starting the medication. But it can take up to 4 to 6 months of treatment to see the full benefits. If you have questions about how well the medication is working, ask your psoriasis specialist.
- Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) can raise your risk of getting a serious infection. Call your care team if you think you're sick. Look out for signs like fever, weakness, sweating, chills, cough, or trouble breathing. You might have to stop taking the medication until you get the infection treated or until it goes away.
- Before you start taking Sotyktu (deucravacitinib), ask your primary care provider if you're up to date on all your vaccinations. This can help lower your chance of getting certain serious infections during treatment.
- Before getting any vaccines during treatment, tell the healthcare professional you're taking Sotyktu (deucravacitinib). They can make sure the vaccine is safe for you to get. You can still get most vaccines, like the regular flu shot. But you shouldn't get live vaccines, like FluMist (live nasal flu vaccine). We don't know for sure how your body will react to vaccines while you're taking this medication.
- If you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, talk to your psoriasis specialist. They can help you understand the risks and benefits of taking Sotyktu (deucravacitinib). It's not known if this medication is safe to take while pregnant or breastfeeding. Your psoriasis specialist can help you decide what the safest option is for you and your baby.
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Common questions about Sotyktu (deucravacitinib)
Risks and warnings for Sotyktu (deucravacitinib)
Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Allergic reactions
Allergic reactions to Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) are possible. It can look like swelling in the face, mouth, or throat and trouble breathing. If this happens at any time, get medical help right away.
Risk of infections
- Risk factors: Current infection | Past infections that keep coming back | Other health conditions that raise your risk of infection | Living in or traveling to places with high rates of TB infections | Taking medications that weaken your immune system
Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) can raise your risk of infections, which can sometimes be serious. In studies, upper respiratory infections were common. Past infections, like herpes, tuberculosis (TB), or hepatitis, can also come back.
Before starting Sotyktu (deucravacitinib), tell your care team if you currently have an infection. Also let them know about any serious infections you've had before. You'll get tested for TB and hepatitis. You shouldn't take Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) if you have an active infection, TB, or hepatitis B or C. You might need to get the infection treated beforehand.
Call your care team right away if you think you're sick while taking Sotyktu (deucravacitinib). Watch for fever, chills, cough, body aches, night sweats, trouble breathing, or pain when urinating. You might need to stop the medication until you get the infection treated or until it goes away.
Muscle damage
Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) can raise the levels of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) in your blood. This could be a sign of possible muscle damage. It's rare, but very high CPK levels can be a sign of a serious muscle problem called rhabdomyolysis.
Tell your care team right away if you have any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. Also let them know if you notice dark-colored urine, get very tired, or have a fever. These can be symptoms of serious muscle problems. Your psoriasis specialist might have you stop Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) if your CPK levels are very high or if you have signs of severe muscle damage.
Liver damage
Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) can raise the liver enzyme levels in your blood. This can sometimes be a sign of liver damage. Your psoriasis specialist will order blood test every so often during treatment. These blood test help check your liver function and make sure you're safe. If your liver labs get high, you might have to take a break from the medication so your care team can see what's going on.
Also tell your care team if you have nausea, stomach pain, or yellow skin or eyes while taking Sotyktu (deucravacitinib). These can be signs of liver damage that your care team should check out.
Possible risk of cancer
- Risk factors: History of cancer
Although very rare, a few people got cancer while taking Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) during studies. These cancers included lymphoma, liver cancer, and breast cancer.
Speak with your psoriasis specialist if you're worried about the risk of cancer. They can help explain the risks and benefits of Sotyktu (deucravacitinib). This is important if you've had cancer in the past. Also reach out to them right away if you get cancer during treatment.
Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) dosage
Typical dosage for Sotyktu (deucravacitinib)
The typical dose is 6 mg by mouth once daily.
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