What is Plaque Psoriasis? | Otezla® (apremilast)
Indications
Approved Uses Otezla® (apremilast) is a prescription medicine used to treat adult patients with:
  • Plaque psoriasis for whom phototherapy or systemic therapy is appropriate. Read more >
Approved Uses Otezla® (apremilast) is a prescription medicine used to treat adult patients with:
  • Plaque psoriasis for whom phototherapy or systemic therapy is appropriate.
  • Active psoriatic arthritis.
  • Oral ulcers associated with Behçet’s Disease. Read less >

What is

plaque psoriasis?

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Plaque psoriasis affects
more than just skin

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS
TREATMENT OPTIONS
THE OTEZLA DIFFERENCE

It’s what’s on the inside that counts. No, really.

Plaque psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, and there’s no simple explanation for when and why people get this condition. What we do know is that it involves an overactive immune system which causes inflammation and speeds up cell growth.

Normal skin cells grow and fall off in about a month, but when you have plaque psoriasis, this growth happens in just a few days. When the cells grow faster than they fall off, it causes them to build up on your skin in the form of itchy, scaly patches.

Possible symptoms

You might experience raised patches of skin called plaques that are sometimes covered with a silvery buildup of dead skin cells. These plaques can be itchy, painful, and flaky.

Elbow with plaque psoriasis

Often, plaques appear on elbows, knees, lower back, and scalp—but not everyone experiences symptoms in the same ways…

Plaques may cover a large portion of your body, or might just be a few annoying patches. Plaques may appear reddish on lighter skin tones, or gray or purple on darker skin tones.

Sometimes, your itching or flaking might worsen when you’re stressed.

Plaque psoriasis can also show up in difficult to treat places like under fingernails and toenails, or on genitals.

See how Otezla is proven to help manage plaque psoriasis symptoms after 4 months

EXPLORE RESULTS

How is plaque psoriasis treated?

There is no cure for plaque psoriasis, but it can be managed with treatment. If you’ve been living with plaque psoriasis for a while, you and your doctor have probably discussed and even tried some options.

So what are some of the treatment options for plaque psoriasis?
Inside the body

These treatments, often called systemic treatments, target plaque psoriasis where it starts below the surface of the skin:

Prescription pill bottle
Oral medications
Pills, tablets, or capsules taken by mouth.
Otezla® (apremilast) tablet
Otezla is one of these options
LEARN MORE
Injection
Injectable biologics
Medications that are injected into the body and work on a specific part of the immune system.

This information shouldn’t be used to compare the efficacy or safety of these treatments. You and your doctor should work together to decide which treatment is right for you.

Surface of the skin

You put these treatments directly on your skin, typically where you see plaques or other symptoms. These include:

Topical cream
Topical medications
Prescription creams, lotions, and shampoos can be applied to the skin or scalp. Some are prescribed by a doctor. These treatment options can be inconvenient to apply and feel greasy on the skin.
Lightbulb
Phototherapy
Also known as light therapy, phototherapy involves exposing the skin to ultraviolet light on a regular basis and under medical supervision.

This information shouldn’t be used to compare the efficacy or safety of these treatments. You and your doctor should work together to decide which treatment is right for you.

How Otezla is different

Otezla works where some topical treatments can’t reach

Plaque psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease. That means it starts inside the body, and, as a result, symptoms like itching, redness, and plaques appear on the surface of the skin.

Otezla is a systemic treatment. That means it works inside the body, where inflammation starts, so you have fewer plaque psoriasis symptoms on the outside.

The exact way in which Otezla helps improve symptoms isn’t completely understood.

Calendar
Otezla is a pill that can help you get clearer skin after just 4 months.
No blood tests required for Otezla® (apremilast)
Unlike some other treatments, no blood tests are needed to start or stay on Otezla.

Want more details about how Otezla works to treat plaque psoriasis?

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Want to learn about Otezla’s safety profile?

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It’s more common than you think! Psoriasis affects more than 8 million people in the US

Plaque psoriasis affects more than 8 million people in the US

Up to 40% of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, which can cause joint pain, swelling, and stiffness

WHAT IS PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS?

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

You must not take Otezla if you are allergic to apremilast or to any of the ingredients in Otezla.

Otezla can cause allergic reactions, sometimes severe. Stop using Otezla and call your healthcare provider or seek emergency help right away if you develop any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction: trouble breathing or swallowing, raised bumps (hives), rash or itching, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat or arms.

Otezla can cause severe diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, especially within the first few weeks of treatment. Use in elderly patients and the use of certain medications with Otezla appears to increase the risk of complications from having severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Tell your doctor if any of these conditions occur.

Otezla is associated with an increase in depression. In clinical studies, some patients reported depression, or suicidal behavior while taking Otezla. Some patients stopped taking Otezla due to depression. Before starting Otezla, tell your doctor if you have had feelings of depression, or suicidal thoughts or behavior. Be sure to tell your doctor if any of these symptoms or other mood changes develop or worsen during treatment with Otezla.

Some patients taking Otezla lost body weight. Your doctor should monitor your weight regularly. If unexplained or significant weight loss occurs, your doctor will decide if you should continue taking Otezla.

Some medicines may make Otezla less effective and should not be taken with Otezla. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines.

The most common side effects of Otezla include diarrhea, nausea, upper respiratory tract infection, tension headache, and headache. These are not all the possible side effects with Otezla. Ask your doctor about other potential side effects. Tell your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or planning to breastfeed.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-332-1088.

Please click here for the Full Prescribing Information for Otezla.

APPROVED USES

Otezla® (apremilast) is a prescription medicine used to treat adult patients with:

  • Plaque psoriasis for whom phototherapy or systemic therapy is appropriate.
  • Active psoriatic arthritis.
  • Oral ulcers associated with Behçet’s Disease.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

You must not take Otezla if you are allergic to apremilast or to any of the ingredients in Otezla.

Otezla can cause allergic reactions, sometimes severe. Stop using Otezla and call your healthcare provider or seek emergency help right away if you develop any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction: trouble breathing or swallowing,