A new once-daily pill for plaque psoriasis is showing promise for areas of the body that are often hardest to treat, including the scalp, genitals, and soles of the feet. In a recent phase 3 study, the treatment, called icotrokinra, helped many participants achieve clear or nearly clear skin.

According to study results, 66 percent of participants with scalp psoriasis and 77 percent of participants with genital psoriasis achieved clear or nearly clear skin after 16 weeks on icotrokinra. That’s compared to 11 percent and 21 percent of participants taking a placebo (inactive treatment), respectively.

For psoriasis on the hands and feet, 42 percent achieved near-clear skin, versus 26 percent of those on the placebo.

Overall, 57 percent of people who took the pill reached the study’s main goal — an improvement of two points or more on a five-point scale measuring psoriasis severity — compared to 6 percent of people in the placebo group.

The drug also showed low rates of serious side effects through week 16.

A Needle-Free Alternative

These findings matter because plaque psoriasis in sensitive or high-impact areas of the body can be especially challenging to manage. When creams, shampoos, or lifestyle adjustments aren’t enough, doctors may recommend systemic treatments that work throughout the body, including pills or injectable biologics.

Like several other plaque psoriasis treatments, icotrokinra works by selectively blocking the IL-23 receptor, a key part of the immune pathway that drives inflammation. This places it in the same category as injectable medications such as risankizumab and guselkumab, which are often prescribed when topicals aren’t enough.

Whether icotrokinra becomes widely available will depend on how it performs in additional clinical trials and when Johnson & Johnson submits it for FDA review. If the company applies for priority review — which shortens the approval process — the drug could be available as early as 2026.

If you’re living with plaque psoriasis and experience symptoms in hard-to-treat areas, talk to your dermatologist about treatment options.

Learn more about how psoriasis affects the scalp, genitals, and feet — and how MyPsoriasisTeam members manage them.

Find Your Team

On MyPsoriasisTeam, the social network for people living with psoriasis and their loved ones, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with psoriasis.

Have you experienced psoriasis on your scalp, genitals, or feet? What treatments have helped you the most? Share your experiences in a comment below, start a conversation on your Activities page, or connect with like-minded members in Groups.