The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved Johnson & Johnson's daily oral pill, Icotyde (icotrokinra). The drug treats moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Authorization applies to adults and adolescents aged 12 and older. This approval offers a new therapeutic option for patients with the chronic skin condition.
The approval follows positive results from four Phase 3 clinical trials. These trials involved 2,500 people. The studies demonstrated the drug's efficacy against a placebo. Icotyde is the first approved oral peptide treatment. It selectively blocks the IL-23 receptor, a key pathway in psoriasis inflammation. Johnson & Johnson developed the drug with Protagonist Therapeutics. Icotyde received prior approval in the US and European Union earlier in 2026.