Largest real-world study of Otezla in psoriasis presented at WCD

US biotech major Celgene (Nasdaq: CELG) presented data from the first full readout of the APPRECIATE real-world evidence (RWE) study at the World Congress of Dermatology (WCD) in Milan. APPRECIATE is the largest RWE study of Otezla (apremilast), involving 480 patients across six European countries.

Data from APPRECIATE suggested that in clinical practice, Otezla showed notable clinical and quality of life improvements in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis as well as in the subset of psoriasis patients affected by specific manifestations of the disease; including pruritus, scalp, nail and palmoplantar involvement, said Celgene, the subject of a $74 billion takeover deal by Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY).

Otezla was first approved in the USA in 2014, and the following year in Europe. It is now approved in 30 countries globally.Otezla sales were $389 million in the first quarter of 2019, a 10% increase year-on-year, and are forecast to reach $1.98 billion in the full year by analysts at Zacks Investment Research.