Bristol-Myers Squibb’s experimental drug helped reduce the severity of the most common form of psoriasis in a mid-stage trial, the company announced.

The study tested the drug, BMS-986165, in 267 patients with plaque psoriasis, Reuters reported. This is a chronic condition that causes dry, red skin lesions covered with silvery scales.

The results

After 12 weeks, between 67 percent and 75 percent of patients given a 3-milligram dose twice daily, or a higher dose, showed reduction on a scale called PASI-75.

This scale is considered the benchmark of main goals for most psoriasis clinical trials. It measures the effectiveness of a drug by recording how many patients achieve a reduction in the area affected and severity of their psoriasis.

The PASI-75 scale showed reduction versus 7 percent in the placebo group.

The drug

The drug is a tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor, a class of medicines that work to regulate overactive immune responses that drive autoimmune diseases.

Bristol-Myers said it plans to study the drug’s use in a “wide spectrum of immune-mediated diseases”, saying currently only few oral treatment options are available.

Side effects

Three cases of serious side effects were reported, but none of those were in patients given the 6-mg and the 12-mg doses, the highest being tested, the company said.

The company is currently enrolling patients for a late-stage trial and also testing BMS-986165 for use in patients with lupus or Crohn’s disease.