What is Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)? | Otezla® (apremilast)
Indications
APPROVED USES Prescription Otezla®/Otezla XRTM (apremilast) is used for the treatment of:

Active Psoriatic Arthritis:

  • OTEZLA: Adult and pediatric patients 6 years of age and older and weighing at least 20 kg (44 lbs) with active psoriatic arthritis. Read more >
Approved Uses Prescription Otezla®/Otezla XRTM (apremilast) is used for the treatment of:

Active Psoriatic Arthritis:

  • OTEZLA: Adult and pediatric patients 6 years of age and older and weighing at least 20 kg (44 lbs) with active psoriatic arthritis.
  • OTEZLA XR: Adult and pediatric patients 6 years of age and older and weighing at least 50 kg (110 lbs) with active psoriatic arthritis.

Plaque Psoriasis:

  • OTEZLA/OTEZLA XR: Adult patients with plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.
  • OTEZLA: Pediatric patients 6 years of age and older and weighing at least 20 kg (44 lbs) with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.
  • OTEZLA XR: Pediatric patients 6 years of age and older and weighing at least 50 kg (110 lbs) with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.

Oral Ulcers Associated with Behçet’s Disease:

  • OTEZLA/OTEZLA XR: Adult patients with oral ulcers associated with Behçet’s Disease. Read less >

What is

psoriatic
arthritis?

You are leaving the Otezla website

Do you wish to leave this site?

YES No

Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects your joints

Psoriatic arthritis happens when your immune system attacks healthy joints and skin, leading to inflammation. This shows up as swelling, tenderness, and pain in your body.

Psoriatic arthritis can affect any of your joints, but many people notice they have stiff, swollen fingers and toes.

You can develop psoriatic arthritis at any age, but it typically appears between 30 and 50 years old. There is no clear answer to what causes psoriatic arthritis, but it is possible that it could be caused by your genetics, or even an injury.

Did you know that psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis are related? In fact, up to 40% of people living with psoriasis will have psoriatic arthritis.

pie chart

Psoriatic arthritis affects everyone differently

There isn’t one definitive test or symptom used for diagnosing psoriatic arthritis, but here are a few more symptoms you should watch out for:

Joint pain No range of motion and fatigue
  • Painful, swollen, or tender joints
  • Stiffness and/or throbbing in your joints, especially in the morning
  • Trouble doing daily activities or reduced range of motion, like when you’re getting dressed or walking up the stairs
  • Fatigue and tiredness
Rheumatologist

Seeing the right doctor

You might be sent to a rheumatologist, which is a doctor who specializes in conditions that affect your joints, muscles, and bones.

Achy, swollen joints? Don’t write it off as just aging—timely diagnosis and treatment are important steps in managing psoriatic arthritis.

Swollen joints

How do you treat psoriatic arthritis?

There’s no cure for psoriatic arthritis, but you can manage it with treatment. If you’ve been living with psoriatic arthritis for a while, you’ve probably talked to your doctor about it and maybe even tried a few options. Here are some different kinds of medicines your doctor might use to treat your symptoms:

Prescription medication bottle
Oral medications
These pills or tablets are taken by mouth—orally. Oral medications include NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), like ibuprofen and aspirin, and DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs), like Otezla.
Filled hypodermic needle
Biologics
These treatments are injected with a needle or infused into the body and target specific parts of the immune system.

Only you and your doctor can decide on the best treatment for your psoriatic arthritis

WHY CONSIDER OTEZLA?

Itchy head? 70-90% of people with psoriatic arthritis are believed to have scalp psoriasis.

READ ABOUT SCALP PSORIASIS
Hand building blocks

How Otezla works

Discover how Otezla works inside the body to treat psoriatic arthritis.
LEARN MORE
Group of friends dancing at a party

Why consider Otezla?

Read about the benefits of Otezla for psoriatic arthritis. Talk to your doctor to see if it’s right for you.
SEE THE BENEFITS
Man working on his laptop

Sign up now

Want to get Otezla information in your inbox? Sign up for emails.
SIGN UP

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Do not take Otezla 30 mg tablets or Otezla XR 75 mg extended-release tablets if you are allergic to apremilast or to any of the ingredients in Otezla/Otezla XR

Otezla/Otezla XR can cause serious side effects, including:

  • Allergic reactions, sometimes severe. Stop using Otezla/Otezla XR 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.
  • 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/Otezla XR may increase the risk of complications from having severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Tell your doctor if any of these conditions occur.
  • 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/Otezla XR, 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/Otezla XR.
  • Weight loss. Your doctor should monitor your weight regularly. If unexplained or significant weight loss occurs, your doctor will decide if you should continue taking Otezla/Otezla XR. For children 6 years of age or older, their doctor should monitor their growth (height and weight). If they are not growing or gaining weight as expected, their doctor will decide if they should continue taking Otezla/Otezla XR.

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

The most common side effects include diarrhea, nausea, upper respiratory tract infection, tension headache, and headache. These are not all the possible side effects with Otezla/Otezla XR. 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/Otezla XR.

APPROVED USES

Prescription Otezla® /Otezla XRTM (apremilast) is used for the treatment of:

Active Psoriatic Arthritis:

  • OTEZLA: Adult and pediatric patients 6 years of age and older and weighing at least 20 kg (44 lbs) with active psoriatic arthritis
  • OTEZLA XR: Adult and pediatric patients 6 years of age and older and weighing at least 50 kg (110 lbs) with active psoriatic arthritis.

Plaque Psoriasis:

  • OTEZLA/OTEZLA XR: Adult patients with plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.
  • OTEZLA: Pediatric patients 6 years of age and older and weighing at least 20 kg (44 lbs) with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.
  • OTEZLA XR: Pediatric patients 6 years of age and older and weighing at least 50 kg (110 lbs) with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.

Oral Ulcers Associated with Behçet’s Disease:

  • OTEZLA/OTEZLA XR: Adult patients with oral ulcers associated with Behçet’s Disease.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Do not take Otezla 30 mg tablets or Otezla XR 75 mg extended-release tablets if you are allergic to apremilast or to any of the ingredients in Otezla/Otezla XR.

Otezla/Otezla XR can cause serious side effects, including:

  • Allergic reactions, sometimes severe. Stop using Otezla/Otezla XR 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.