Takeda’s Zasocitinib Trial in Psoriatic Arthritis Moves Forward, Raising New Pipeline Upside

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company (TAK) announced an update on their ongoing clinical study.

Takeda is advancing a key late-stage study for its oral drug zasocitinib (TAK-279), targeting adults with active psoriatic arthritis who have never used biologic treatments. Officially titled “A Multi-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo- and Active-Controlled Phase 3 Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Zasocitinib (TAK-279) in Subjects With Active Psoriatic Arthritis Who Are Naïve to Biologic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (LATITUDE-PsA-3001),” the trial aims to show how well the drug reduces joint and skin symptoms and how safe it is over time. The study matters because it could support a new oral option in a market now dominated by injected biologic drugs.

The main treatment being tested is zasocitinib, an oral tablet taken once a day, designed to calm inflammation in psoriatic arthritis and improve pain, swelling, and skin lesions. The study compares two different daily doses of zasocitinib against an oral active comparator medicine and a placebo. Some participants start on placebo and then switch to zasocitinib later in the trial, which helps gather more long-term data on the drug.

The trial is an interventional Phase 3 study with randomized allocation, meaning participants are assigned by chance to one of several treatment groups. It uses a parallel design, so each group receives its assigned treatment throughout the study period rather than switching between options. The study is “quadruple-blind,” so participants, doctors, study staff, and outcome assessors do not know who is receiving which treatment, helping reduce bias. The main goal is to test whether zasocitinib is effective and safe for treating psoriatic arthritis.

The study started enrolling after submission on 31 October 2024 and is currently listed as recruiting. Participants will remain in the trial for up to about 60 weeks, with key results expected after the primary treatment phase around Week 16 and through Week 52. The most recent update to the trial record was submitted on 27 January 2026, signaling continued operational progress and protocol refinement as the company works toward final completion and later data readouts.

For investors, this update underscores Takeda’s push to build a meaningful presence in immunology and inflammatory diseases with a differentiated oral therapy. Positive Phase 3 results could support a new growth driver beyond the company’s existing portfolio, potentially strengthening sentiment toward Takeda’s medium-term earnings profile and pipeline value. The psoriatic arthritis market is large and competitive, with established biologics from players like AbbVie, Amgen, and Novartis, and several oral options already on the market. A strong efficacy and safety profile, especially in biologic-naïve patients, could help zasocitinib carve out share as a convenient oral choice and support premium pricing. Until topline data are released, the main impact is likely to be incremental—reinforcing pipeline optionality rather than driving major stock moves. The study remains ongoing and updated, with further details available on the ClinicalTrials.gov portal under NCT06671483.

To learn more about TAK’s potential, visit the Takeda Pharmaceutical Company drug pipeline page.