Rheumatologists Increasingly Prescribe Sotyktu for PsA

Exton, PA, Oct. 06, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Five months into the U.S. launch of Bristol Myers Squibb’s Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) for psoriatic arthritis (PsA), the drug is gaining traction among rheumatologists, who are increasingly prescribing it to their patients. However, the early adoption is not translating into widespread use, as physicians remain selective in their patient selection and treatment strategies.

According to Spherix Global Insights, a leading provider of market intelligence for specialty pharmaceutical and biotech markets, 41% of rheumatologists have now prescribed Sotyktu, doubling the proportion observed shortly after the drug’s launch. Despite this, the depth of use remains limited, with new patient initiations slowing to their lowest level since the drug’s introduction. Rheumatologists are becoming increasingly selective in the proportion of PsA patients they consider appropriate candidates for the therapy.

This cautious approach is driven by the drug’s novel TYK2 mechanism of action, which offers a unique oral administration and perceived safety profile compared to existing treatments.

The drug’s positioning as an oral option that may appeal to both earlier patients seeking to avoid injectable biologics and more heavily pretreated patients in need of another mechanism is beginning to take shape. Currently, Sotyktu use remains concentrated in moderate disease and third-line-or-later treatment, but first-line use has doubled since May, suggesting that some physicians are beginning to experiment with the drug earlier in the treatment journey.

This early experience is leading to a recognizable patient profile, with Sotyktu filling a niche between Otezla and more potent advanced therapies.

However, questions remain regarding the drug’s joint efficacy relative to established advanced therapies. While physicians report positive experiences among many patients treated to date, concerns around efficacy, particularly in more severe joint disease, have become more prominent as rheumatologists accumulate experience.

Spherix’s latest research, based on quantitative research with 78 rheumatologists conducted August 5-8, 2026, supplemented by qualitative interviews with six rheumatologists conducted August 24-28, highlights that a quiet launch may be limiting momentum. More than half of rheumatologists report that they have never interacted with a BMS sales representative for Sotyktu in PsA, and physicians frequently characterized BMS’s launch presence as relatively quiet compared with other recent rheumatology launches.

Access also remains a friction point. Among recent Sotyktu initiations, 81% required prior authorization, although most were approved on the first attempt. TNF inhibitor failure remains the most common payer requirement. Rheumatologists’ perception of Sotyktu access has become somewhat more restrictive since launch, with nearly one-third now characterizing payers as restricting access.

For now, Sotyktu appears to have cleared an important early hurdle: physicians are trying it. The next challenge will be converting that breadth of trial into greater depth of use. With physicians continuing to project meaningful longer-term use, the coming months will help determine whether Sotyktu remains a selectively used alternative or establishes a broader role between Otezla and higher-potency advanced therapies.

Spherix Global Insights, a leading independent provider of market intelligence and advisory services for specialty pharmaceutical and biotech markets, operates ten dedicated therapeutic franchises, including Rheumatology. Each franchise is staffed by hyper-focused experts who track these markets full-time, drawing on independently curated communities of vetted specialists, patients, and payers to deliver quarterly trending, launch tracking, chart audits, and KOL synthesis.