New study reveals substantial unmet need in psoriasis, shows strong patient and provider preference for highly effective oral treatments with favorable safety profile

Rhea-AI Summary

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) reported U.S. findings from the ENCOMPASS study (presented Oct 27, 2025) showing significant unmet need in psoriasis and a clear preference for effective oral therapies with favorable safety.

Key results: 50.5% of adults are eligible for systemic therapy; 50.5% of adult patients and 47.5% of dermatology providers prefer oral treatments; 91.2% of patients on injectables would switch to an equally effective oral option. Quality-of-life burden was high: 55% of adults and up to 77% of younger adolescents reported very large or extremely large impact.

Positive

• 50.5% of adult patients eligible for systemic therapy
• 50.5% of adults prefer oral treatment over other modes
• 47.5% of dermatology providers prefer oral therapies
• 91.2% of injectable-treated patients willing to switch to oral
• High QoL burden: 55% adults report DLQI ≥11

Negative

• Strong patient/provider shift away from injectables may pressure injectable sales
• High disease burden indicates existing treatments remain insufficient

Insights

Commercial strategist

High unmet need and clear patient/provider tilt toward effective oral psoriasis therapies suggest a tangible commercial opportunity.

ENCOMPASS quantifies demand: 50.5% of adults eligible for systemic therapy and 47.5% of dermatology providers preferred oral treatment; 91.2% of patients on injectables would switch to an equally effective oral with favorable safety. These figures show a sizable addressable preference pool that could reshape prescribing choices if a new oral option matches efficacy and safety expectations.

Adoption depends strictly on three disclosed conditions: equivalent efficacy, comparable safety/tolerability, and clinician acceptance; the study notes providers prefer oral therapy only under those equivalence conditions. Watch regulatory milestones and product-level evidence tied to those conditions presented at conferences such as the 2025 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference and forthcoming efficacy/safety readouts within typical development timelines.

Clinical impact analyst

The study documents substantial quality-of-life burden and a marked preference for oral options among patients and providers.

Measured QoL impact was high: 55% of adults reported DLQI ≥11 and adolescent rates reached 71% and 77% in the older and younger groups respectively, indicating severe life interference. The survey links perceived burden chiefly to skin symptoms (67.3%), severity (47%), and lesion location (45.5%), underscoring clinical targets for therapies that improve those domains.

Clinical follow-up should track objective efficacy and safety data for any oral candidate because the study frames willingness to switch on equivalence of those endpoints; presentation timing at professional meetings like the 2025 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference and publication of comparative safety/efficacy data are concrete near-term milestones to monitor.

Findings highlight opportunity for shared decision-making to improve treatment planning, with more than 90% of patients currently on injectables willing to switch to a new oral therapy with equivalent efficacy and a favorable safety profile

Results show 50.5% of adult psoriasis patients eligible for systemic therapy and 47.5% of dermatology providers would prefer oral treatment over topicals or injectables

SPRING HOUSE, Pa., Oct. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) today announced findings from the U.S. dataset from the global ENCOMPASS study evaluating patient and healthcare provider (HCP) perspectives on barriers and unmet needs in psoriasis care. The results, presented at the 2025 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference, reveal significant unmet needs and a strong preference for oral treatment options that achieve treatment goals with high efficacy and favorable safety.

The ENCOMPASS study is comprised of a cross-sectional survey of 400 adults, 200 adolescents living with psoriasis, and 200 dermatology providers and aims to inform patient-centered treatment strategies in the U.S. The findings help to characterize the clinical profile of patients, quantify disease burden, evaluate treatment preferences and goals, and assess the impact of psoriasis on patient quality of life (QoL) using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI/cDLQI)^ab.^1,2

Key findings show that psoriasis imposes a significant disease burden, profoundly affecting patient QoL.

• Over half (55%) of adult patients indicated "a very large" or "extremely large" QoL impact (DLQI ≥11) and 21% indicated a moderate impact (DLQI 6-10).
• QoL impact was even higher among adolescents: 71% of those aged 16-17 years and 77% of those aged 12-15 years reported a very large or extremely large QoL impact (DLQI≥11 or cDLQI≥13).
• Perceived disease burden was primarily influenced by: skin symptoms (67.3%), severity (47%), lesion location (45.5%), lack of effective treatments (24.8%), impact on social activities (24.3%) and mental health (23.5%).

"Psoriasis is much more than skin deep — among its far-reaching effects are a significant disease burden. We see it disrupt sleep and affect mental health which has a profound impact on the quality of life of patients," said Linda Stein Gold, M.D., Director of Dermatology Clinical Research at Henry Ford Health and study investigator.^c "This research shows the importance of addressing both the clinical aspects of psoriasis as well as the broader dimensions of daily life, and underscores that patients prefer oral treatments."

Study findings also gauged key treatment preferences among adult patients and dermatology HCPs.

• Oral treatment was preferred among both patients and HCPs (50.5% and 47.5%, respectively), followed by topicals (34.3% and 20.0%) and injectables (15.3% and 22.0%).
• Providers indicated they would prefer an oral therapy if efficacy, safety and tolerability were equivalent among the modes of administration
• Of patients currently treated with injectables, 91.2% expressed willingness to switch to an equally effective new oral treatment with favorable safety.

"Delivering on our commitment to understand the expectations of patients and healthcare providers involves actively seeking input, responding to feedback, and continually building a more patient-centered approach to care," said Meredith Hans Moore, VP Global Medical Affairs Immunology, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. "These initial study findings uncover important insights around the unmet need that remains for oral psoriasis therapies that meet patients' clinical and daily life needs."

Editor's notes:

a.	The DLQI is a validated, 10-item, patient reported outcome (PRO) questionnaire widely used to measure the impact of skin conditions like psoriasis on a person's quality of life over the past week. It assesses how the skin condition affects symptoms/feelings, daily activities, leisure, work and school, personal relationships, and treatment within the past week. The total DLQI/cDLQI score ranges from 0 (no impact) to 30 (severe impact), with higher scores indicating greater impairment in quality of life.
b.	The cDLQI is an adapted version of the DLQI and has been validated from the age of 4 to 16 years (i.e., up to 15 years and 11 months)
c.	Dr. Stein Gold is a paid consultant for Johnson & Johnson. She has not been compensated for any media work.

About Psoriasis 
Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease resulting in overproduction of skin cells, causing red or discolored, scaly, and itchy plaques on the skin.³ It is estimated that more than 8 million Americans and 125 million people worldwide live with the disease.⁴ Psoriasis can be anywhere on the body, in small patches or affecting large areas. There are five types of psoriasis, and it is possible to have more than one type in a lifetime, or even at the same time.⁵ Plaque psoriasis is the most common type, affecting up to 80% of those with psoriasis.⁵ Living with psoriasis can be a challenge and impact life beyond a person's physical health, including emotional health, relationships, and handling the stressors of life.⁶ Psoriasis on highly visible areas of the body or sensitive skin, such as the scalp, hands, feet, and genitals, can have an increased negative impact on quality of life.⁷

About Johnson & Johnson 
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow and profoundly impact health for humanity. 

Learn more at https://www.jnj.com/ or at www.innovativemedicine.jnj.com. Follow us at @JNJInnovMed. 

Janssen Biotech, Inc. is a Johnson & Johnson company.

¹ Stein Gold, L. Soung, J., Trenkler, N. et al. Impact and Insights of Psoriasis on Quality-of-Life and Shared-Decision Making among US Adolescents and Adults. Presented at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference 2025. Las Vegas, Nevada. 23-26 Oct. Poster Presentation.
² Stein Gold, L. Soung, J., Trenkler, N. et al. Unmet Needs and Disease Burden: Perspectives from Adults with Psoriasis and Clinicians treating Psoriasis in the United States. Presented at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference 2025. Las Vegas, Nevada. 23-26 Oct. Poster Presentation.
³ National Psoriasis Foundation. About Psoriasis. Available at: https://www.psoriasis.org/about-psoriasis. Accessed October 2025.
⁴ National Psoriasis Foundation. Psoriasis Statistics. Available at: https://www.psoriasis.org/content/statistics. Accessed October 2025.
⁵ National Psoriasis Foundation. Types of Psoriasis. Available at: https://www.psoriasis.org/locations-and-types/. Accessed October 2025.
⁶ National Psoriasis Foundation. Life with Psoriasis. Available at: https://www.psoriasis.org/life-with-psoriasis/ . Accessed October 2025.
⁷ National Psoriasis Foundation. High Impact Sites. Available at: https://www.psoriasis.org/high-impact-sites/. Accessed October 2025.

 

Media contact:   Meg Farina  mfarina@its.jnj.com

Investor contact:   Lauren Johnson investor-relations@its.jnj.com

 

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SOURCE Johnson & Johnson

FAQ

What did JNJ announce from the ENCOMPASS study on Oct 27, 2025?

JNJ reported U.S. ENCOMPASS findings showing high unmet need and preference for oral psoriasis treatments, with key percentages on eligibility and preferences.

How many psoriasis patients in the ENCOMPASS U.S. dataset prefer oral treatments (JNJ)?

The study found 50.5% of adult patients preferred oral treatment.

What proportion of dermatology providers in the ENCOMPASS study prefer oral therapies (JNJ)?

47.5% of surveyed dermatology providers indicated a preference for oral treatment.

How many patients on injectables said they'd switch to an oral option in the JNJ study?

91.2% of patients currently on injectables expressed willingness to switch to an equally effective oral therapy with favorable safety.

What did the ENCOMPASS results say about quality of life for psoriasis patients (JNJ)?

The results showed high QoL impact: 55% of adults and up to 77% of adolescents reported very large or extremely large impact.

Could the ENCOMPASS findings affect JNJ's psoriasis strategy or market opportunity?

The study highlights unmet need and demand for effective oral options, which may inform product development and commercialization strategy.