Vtama (Tapinarof Cream) for Psoriasis

What Members Say Top Tips Side Effects Copay Help FAQs

Vtama (tapinarof cream) is a prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat adults with plaque psoriasis.

What Members Say

MHT logo These insights are based on 224 comments about Vtama from MyPsoriasisTeam members. These are the experiences of a small number of people and are not meant to be medical advice.

Benefits:

Skin clearing can happen quickly for some, sometimes within days or weeks.
Plaques on the hands, feet, and other areas often improve noticeably.
Relief can last after stopping, with flare-free periods reported between uses.

Considerations:

Folliculitis, itching, rash, and contact-type skin irritation can happen.
Insurance approval, prior authorization, specialty pharmacy coordination, and cost may delay or limit access.
Applying Vtama only to affected skin matters because unaffected skin may become irritated.

How Vtama Works and How It’s Taken

Vtama is an aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist. It targets a protein involved in skin and immune signals. The exact way it works to treat plaque psoriasis is not known.

Doctors prescribe Vtama when adults have plaque psoriasis.

Vtama is a topical treatment that comes as a cream applied to the skin.

Typical Dosing for Psoriasis

The recommended dose is a thin layer of Vtama 1 percent cream applied to affected areas once daily. Do not use it in your mouth, eyes, or vagina.

Use Vtama exactly as your healthcare provider tells you.

This information is based on prescribing information, but your healthcare provider may tailor your treatment plan. Always follow their guidance.

Top Advice From Members on Vtama

MHT logo These insights are based on 224 comments about Vtama from MyPsoriasisTeam members.

Members who use Vtama often say it can help, but their experiences vary. Many emphasize practical issues such as cost, side effects, how they apply it, and staying in touch with their dermatologist if something does not seem right.

1

Watch for side effects and tell your doctor about them.
“Folliculitis is the reason I stopped Vtama. I had to get antibiotics for one of the folliculitis problems.”
2

Avoid putting Vtama on unaffected skin.
“Remember to avoid putting it on healthy skin. It’s best applied with a Q-tip. Applying Vtama cream to unaffected areas may cause irritation.”
3

Ask about financial help or lower-cost pharmacy options.
“Initially, it was going to be $650 with insurance. Then, I checked my mail-order program through BCBS, and I get it for $35 a month.”

Connect with others who understand life with psoriasis. Join MyPsoriasisTeam for free.

Vtama Side Effects

In clinical studies of Vtama cream for plaque psoriasis in adults, the most common side effects happened in 2 percent to 20 percent of people. These include:

Folliculitis (inflamed or infected hair follicles, which can look like small bumps or pimples)
Nasopharyngitis (common cold symptoms)
Contact dermatitis (skin irritation or rash from contact with the cream)
Headache
Pruritus (itching)
Influenza (flu)

Hives were also reported in a small number of people using Vtama.

Serious Side Effects and Warnings

Get medical help right away if you think you are having a serious reaction.

How To Save on Vtama

Organon, the manufacturer of Vtama, offers the MyVTAMA Savings Card through its MyVTAMA patient support program. Eligible people with commercial insurance may pay as little as $0.

The card cannot be used if prescription claims are eligible to be reimbursed, in whole or in part, by a government program.

To learn more, visit the MyVTAMA Savings Card website, or call 844-674-3200.

What To Know Before Taking Vtama

Tell your doctor if you have any allergies to tapinarof cream or any ingredients in Vtama.

Tell your doctor about all medicines you take, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Vtama is also FDA-approved to treat atopic dermatitis in adults and children ages 2 and older.

If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding while using Vtama, talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits.

Community FAQs

These answers are fact-checked by our editorial staff.

How effective is Vtama for psoriasis?

In two 12-week studies of adults with plaque psoriasis, 36 percent and 40 percent of people using Vtama once daily had treatment success. This compared with 6 percent of people using the vehicle cream in each study.

Treatment success meant the skin was rated clear or almost clear and improved by at least 2 grades from the start of the study.

Among 73 people whose skin became completely clear after 12 weeks and who then stopped Vtama, the median time until psoriasis first worsened was 114 days.

How long does Vtama take to work for psoriasis?

In clinical trials, Vtama was used once daily for 12 weeks. At week 12, some people had clear or almost clear skin. The studies do not say exactly how soon improvement may begin.