Takeda's psoriasis pill developed with AI assistance succeeds in trials

Takeda's psoriasis pill developed with AI assistance succeeds in trials Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes rashes marked by itchy, scaly rashes and afflicts more than 125 million people worldwide. Takeda Pharmaceutical announced that its oral psoriasis drug zasocitinib proved safe and effective in late-stage trials, marking a milestone in its effort to treat the incurable skin condition and offset looming revenue pressure. Patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who took the once-daily pill showed significantly clearer skin compared with those on placebo or the existing therapy apremilast, the company said in a statement Thursday. Takeda plans to submit data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other regulators beginning in fiscal year 2026. If approved, zasocitinib would join the small but growing oral psoriasis treatments -- long a market dominated by ointments and injectable antibody therapies -- and stand out as one of the first drugs discovered with the help of artificial intelligence.