Exton, PA, Oct. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Five months into the U.S. launch of Bristol Myers Squibb’s (BMS) Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) for psoriatic arthritis (PsA), rheumatologists are increasingly adding the oral TYK2 inhibitor to their treatment armamentarium. Yet, new research from Spherix Global Insights suggests that broader trial has not yet translated into deep utilization, as physicians continue to refine where Sotyktu fits within an already crowded PsA treatment landscape.
Findings from Spherix’s latest wave of Launch Dynamix™: Sotyktu in Psoriatic Arthritis (US) reveal that 41% of rheumatologists have now prescribed Sotyktu, approximately double the proportion observed shortly after launch. However, depth of use remains limited, with new patient initiations slowing to their lowest level since launch and rheumatologists becoming increasingly selective in the proportion of PsA patients they consider appropriate candidates for the therapy.
The pattern suggests that rheumatologists are willing to trial Sotyktu, but are doing so selectively as they gain experience with the product.
Importantly, physicians have not written off the drug’s longer-term potential. Despite selective use today, rheumatologists continue to anticipate a meaningful role for Sotyktu once fully established, with expectations holding relatively steady throughout the early launch period.
A New Oral Option Is Finding Its Niche
Sotyktu’s novel TYK2 mechanism of action and expected efficacy remains the leading drivers of initiation, with its oral administration and perceived safety profile creating particular appeal for patients who wish to avoid injections or for whom JAK inhibitors may be less desirable.
Indeed, nearly two-thirds of rheumatologists believe Sotyktu will expand their overall use of oral therapies in PsA, rather than simply replace another oral agent.
This positioning is beginning to translate into a recognizable patient profile. Current 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.
The result is an emerging position for Sotyktu somewhere between Otezla and traditionally more potent advanced therapies, an oral option that may appeal both to earlier patients seeking to avoid injectable biologics and to more heavily pretreated patients in need of another mechanism.
“I've been using it, like a first-line agent, kind of like a stronger Otezla that has better data.” one rheumatologist told Spherix.
TYK2 Differentiation Resonates, but Joint Efficacy Remains a Question
Rheumatologists appear to recognize meaningful differentiation in Sotyktu’s TYK2 mechanism, with its oral profile, perceived safety, and efficacy contributing to an emerging position within the PsA treatment landscape. Early perceptions suggest the therapy may occupy a distinct space among existing oral and advanced treatment options without directly mirroring the profile of any one competitor.
At the same time, early clinical experience is introducing some nuance. While physicians report positive experiences among many patients treated to date, questions around joint efficacy relative to established advanced therapies remain, suggesting that greater real-world experience may be important in determining how broadly rheumatologists ultimately use Sotyktu.
A Quiet Launch May Be Limiting Momentum
Beyond product perceptions, Spherix’s findings point to commercial execution as another potential constraint on uptake.
More than half of rheumatologists report that they have never interacted with a BMS sales representative for Sotyktu in PsA, and physicians interviewed by Spherix 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.
More broadly, rheumatologists’ perception of Sotyktu access has become somewhat more restrictive since launch, with nearly one-third now characterizing payers as restricting access.
Experience May Be the Next Inflection Point
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.
Limited familiarity and clinical experience remain the most frequently cited barriers to increased prescribing, while concerns about efficacy, particularly in more severe joint disease, have become more prominent as rheumatologists accumulate experience.
Still, Sotyktu’s differentiated mechanism, oral administration, and perceived safety advantages give the brand multiple potential paths to growth. 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.
Launch Dynamix™: Sotyktu in Psoriatic Arthritis (US) is an independent Spherix Global Insights service tracking the launch of Sotyktu among U.S. rheumatologists. The August Deep Dive is based on quantitative research with 78 rheumatologists conducted August 5–8, 2026, supplemented by qualitative interviews with six rheumatologists conducted August 24–28. Launch Dynamix provides monthly benchmarking during the first 18 months of commercial availability, augmented by quarterly deep dives examining patient types, brand perceptions, promotional activity, and drivers and barriers to uptake.
About Launch Dynamix™
Launch Dynamix™ is an independent service providing monthly benchmarking of newly launched products for the first eighteen months of commercial availability, augmented by a quarterly deep dive into promotional activity, barriers to uptake, and patient types gravitating to the launch brand.
About Spherix Global Insights
Spherix Global Insights is a leading independent provider of market intelligence and advisory services for specialty pharmaceutical and biotech markets. By combining physician, patient, and payer perspectives into an integrated view, Spherix helps brand teams, market access stakeholders, and investors understand how a specialty market actually behaves, not how any one stakeholder describes it.
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NOTICE: All company, brand, or product names in this press release are trademarks of their respective holders. The findings and opinions expressed within are based on Spherix Global Insights’ analysis and do not imply a relationship with or endorsement of the companies or brands mentioned in this press release.
Lynn Price, Franchise Head, Rheumatology Spherix Global Insights 484-879-4284 lynn.price@spherixglobalinsights.com
