Speak Up & Take Control: Managing Plaque Psoriasis Together

By: Bristol Myers Squibb

Empowering patients to speak openly with their doctors is integral for building trust and supporting medical care that is both effective and tailored to patients' specific needs. For Emily, being able to advocate for herself at the doctor's office made all the difference.

Prior to visiting her doctor, Emily discovered plaques on her legs, which spread to her arms, neck and scalp. "My scalp was very difficult to deal with due to severe itching – and it was one of the most difficult symptoms to manage emotionally and physically," shares Emily.

She was diagnosed with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, an immune condition that causes dry, itchy, scaly patches (or plaques) to form across the skin, affecting nearly two million Americans.^1,2

The visible plaques and underlying inflammation can touch many aspects of a person's life – from dating and work to travel and fashion. "I would avoid getting my hair done or wearing specific clothing, and avoided activities where I knew my plaques would be noticed, which was frustrating," Emily describes.

Working closely with her dermatologist to come up with a treatment plan that was best for her and her lifestyle gave Emily a sense of confidence that she finally had a partner in her journey.

"It's crucial to advocate for yourself and have open conversations with your dermatologist about your symptoms and treatment options. Finding the right treatment for you can make a huge difference," notes Emily.

As a part of the "SO, Have You Found It?" campaign, Emily, alongside Ted Danson, actor and plaque psoriasis patient; Mindy Kaling, actor, writer/producer and ally; and Dr. Jennifer Soung, a board certified dermatologist, set out to explain why it is so important for individuals with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis to prepare themselves for meaningful conversations with their dermatologists to explore treatment options, including SOTYKTU^® (deucravacitinib) – a once-daily pill for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis that works inside the body.

Having a productive conversation

To prepare for appointments, learning about plaque psoriasis and self-reflection can help identify what questions to ask doctors, expanding patients' understanding of their health journeys and options.

If a healthcare provider uses an unfamiliar term or phrase, it is okay to request clarification. Here are some terms dermatologists might use and a short explanation of each:

• Body surface area (BSA): The amount of the body covered by psoriasis plaques
• Systemic vs. topical: A treatment that works inside (systemic) vs. outside (topical) of the body
• Systemic ready: Someone who is ready for a medicine that works inside the body, based on a discussion with their doctor
• Disease categories such as moderate and severe: Terms used to describe the intensity of the disease. Ask your doctor how the category is determined.

A message from Ted

Most importantly, patients should feel comfortable talking openly with their doctors, asking questions, and sharing their personal experience.

As a psoriasis patient for over 50 years, Ted knows all too well the importance of advocating for your health. With flaky, itchy skin and noticeable plaques on his legs, Ted often declined social events due to symptoms, hiding behind his humor to cope with insecurities. It wasn't until he and his doctor partnered to align on the treatment plan that was right for him that he was able to effectively manage his condition.

This is why he joined the "SO, Have You Found It?" campaign, to motivate others to have candid conversations with their healthcare providers and explore treatment options that fit their lives.

"I hope to empower others to take steps in managing their condition, encouraging them to visit SoHaveYouFoundIt.com and talk with their dermatologist to better understand their condition," says Ted. "Then, they can explore options that may be appropriate for them, such as SOTYKTU."

To learn more about moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, discover how to have a productive conversation with your doctor, and read more about SOTYKTU (pronounced soh-TIK-too), visit SoHaveYouFoundIt.com.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

INDICATION

SOTYKTU^® (deucravacitinib) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who may benefit from taking injections or pills (systemic therapy) or treatment using ultraviolet or UV light (phototherapy).

It is not known if SOTYKTU is safe and effective in children under 18 years of age.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION about SOTYKTU (deucravacitinib)

SOTYKTU may cause serious side effects, including:

Serious allergic reactions. Stop taking SOTYKTU and get emergency medical help right away if you develop any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction:

• feel faint
• swelling of your face, eyelids, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
• trouble breathing or throat tightness
• chest tightness
• skin rash, hives

Infections. SOTYKTU is a medicine that affects your immune system. SOTYKTU can lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections and can increase your risk of infections. Some people have had serious infections while taking SOTYKTU, such as infections of the lungs, including pneumonia and tuberculosis (TB), and COVID-19.

• Your healthcare provider should check you for infections and TB before starting treatment with SOTYKTU and watch you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during SOTYKTU treatment.
• You may be treated for TB before you begin SOTYKTU treatment if you have a history of TB or have active TB.
• If you get a serious infection, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking SOTYKTU until your infection is controlled.

SOTYKTU should not be used in people with an active, serious infection, including localized infections. You should not start taking SOTYKTU if you have any kind of infection unless your healthcare provider tells you it is okay.

You may be at a higher risk of developing shingles (herpes zoster).

Before starting SOTYKTU, tell your healthcare provider if you:

• are being treated for an infection, or have had an infection that does not go away or keeps coming back
• have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB
• have or have had hepatitis B or C
• think you have an infection or have symptoms of an infection such as:
  • fever, sweats, or chills
  • muscle aches
  • weight loss
  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • blood in your phlegm (mucus)
  • warm, red, or painful skin or sores on your body different from your psoriasis
  • diarrhea or stomach pain
  • burning when you urinate or urinating more often than normal
  • feeling very tired

After you start taking SOTYKTU, call your healthcare provider right away if you have an infection or have symptoms of an infection.

SOTYKTU can make you more likely to get infections or make any infections you have worse.

Cancer. Certain kinds of cancer including lymphoma have been reported in people taking SOTYKTU. Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had any type of cancer.

Muscle problems (rhabdomyolysis). SOTYKTU can cause muscle problems that can be severe. Treatment with SOTYKTU may increase the level of an enzyme in your blood called creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and can be a sign of muscle damage. Increased CPK is common in people taking SOTYKTU. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking SOTYKTU if the amount of CPK in your blood gets too high or if you have signs and symptoms of severe muscle problems. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these signs or symptoms of severe muscle problems: unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, feeling very tired, fever, or dark-colored urine.

Do not take SOTYKTU if you are allergic to deucravacitinib or any of the ingredients in SOTYKTU.

Before taking SOTYKTU, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: have liver problems or kidney problems, have high levels of fat in your blood (triglycerides), or have recently received or are scheduled to receive an immunization (vaccine), as you should avoid receiving live vaccines during treatment with SOTYKTU.

Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if SOTYKTU can harm your unborn baby or if SOTYKTU passes into your breast milk.

• Report pregnancies to the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's Adverse Event reporting line at 1-800-721-5072

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Keep a list of them to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

Take SOTYKTU exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. Take SOTYKTU 1 time every day, with or without food. Do not crush, cut, or chew the SOTYKTU tablets.

SOTYKTU may cause serious side effects, including:

• Changes in certain laboratory test results. Changes in laboratory tests have happened in some people taking SOTYKTU. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests before you start taking SOTYKTU and during treatment with SOTYKTU to check for the following:
  • Increased triglycerides. Too much fat in your blood can cause problems with your heart.
  • Increased liver enzymes. If your liver enzymes increase too much, your healthcare provider may need to do additional tests on your liver and may tell you to stop taking SOTYKTU if they think that SOTYKTU is harming your liver.
• Potential risks from Janus kinase (JAK) inhibition. SOTYKTU is a tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor. TYK2 is in the JAK family. It is not known whether taking SOTYKTU has the same risks as taking JAK inhibitors. Increased risk of death (all causes) has happened in people who were 50 years of age and older with at least 1 heart disease (cardiovascular) risk factor who were taking a JAK inhibitor used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to people taking another medicine in a class of medicines called TNF blockers. SOTYKTU is not for use in people with RA.

The most common side effects of SOTYKTU include: common cold, sore throat and sinus infection (upper respiratory infections), cold sores (herpes simplex), sores on inner lips, gums, tongue, or roof of the mouth (canker sores), inflamed hair pores (folliculitis) and acne.

These are not all of the possible side effects of SOTYKTU.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see the U.S. Full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for SOTYKTU.

SOTYKTU is a trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.

© 2025 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. 1787-US-2400909 04/25

References:

1. Mount Sinai. Plaque Psoriasis.
2. Armstrong AW, Mehta MD, Schupp CWS, Gondo GC, Bell SJ, Griffiths CEM. Psoriasis Prevalence in Adults in the United States. JAMA Dermatol. 2021;157(8):940-946.