Eris Lifesciences Launches PSORITUF, Tapinarof 1% Cream, for the Treatment of Plaque Psoriasis in Adults in India

Introducing a novel non-steroidal approach to topical psoriasis treatment, Eris Lifesciences has launched PSORITUF, containing tapinarof 1% cream, for the management of plaque psoriasis in adults in India.

PSORITUF contains tapinarof 1% cream, approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for the topical treatment of plaque psoriasis in adults. Tapinarof is a first-in-class, non-steroidal topical aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist with a mechanism of action distinct from that of corticosteroids.

Tapinarof - Novel Non-Steroidal Approach to Topical Psoriasis Treatment

Plaque psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated skin disease characterised by scaly, erythematous and pruritic plaques. In India, psoriasis has a reported prevalence of 0.44%–2.8% and can significantly affect the quality of life of patients and their families, resulting in a considerable physical, emotional and social burden¹.

Topical medications remain among the most commonly used treatments for psoriasis. However, topical steroids are mainly limited to short-term or intermittent use, while traditional non-steroidal topical therapies, including vitamin D analogues, topical calcineurin inhibitors and topical retinoids, may be limited by optimal, sustained efficacy and local skin tolerability².

Tapinarof provides a non-steroidal topical approach with good local tolerability and a prolonged duration of effect even after treatment discontinuation². It works by activating the AhR, a ligand-dependent transcription factor involved in skin homeostasis, which is associated with modulation of inflammatory pathways, increased antioxidant activity and normalisation of skin-barrier proteins³. The therapy also offers flexibility in topical treatment, with tapinarof being suitable for long-term use including on sensitive skin, without limits on the total area of skin treated. It may also be used alongside systemic therapies⁴.

PSOARING Trials Demonstrate Efficacy and Early Itch Relief and Sustained Treatment-Free Response with Tapinarof

The efficacy and safety of tapinarof 1% cream once daily were evaluated in PSOARING 1 and PSOARING 2, two identical, 12-week, Phase III, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials involving adults with mild-to-severe plaque psoriasis. At Week 12, significantly more patients achieved the primary endpoint of Physician Global Assessment (PGA) treatment success (PGA 0 or 1 with an improvement of at least 2 points from baseline) with tapinarof versus vehicle: 35.4% versus 6.0% in PSOARING 1 and 40.2% versus 6.3% in PSOARING 2 (both p less than 0.001).⁵

Tapinarof also demonstrated early improvement in psoriasis-related itch, with significant improvements reported as early as Week 2, the earliest assessment point. At Week 12, at least a 4-point improvement in Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (PP-NRS) scores was achieved by 67.5% and 59.7% of tapinarof-treated patients in PSOARING 1 and PSOARING 2, respectively, compared with 46.1% and 31.3% with vehicle.⁶

Long-term efficacy and safety were evaluated in PSOARING 3 trial which was a 40-week open-label extension following the initial 12-week trials, with an additional 4-week follow-up. Among 763 enrolled patients, 40.9% (312/763) achieved complete disease clearance (PGA 0) at least once. Patients achieving complete clearance discontinued treatment and were monitored for a treatment-free remittive effect, defined as maintenance of PGA 0 or 1 off treatment. The mean total duration of this effect was 130.1 days (approximately four months). No new safety signals were identified, supporting the potential for sustained disease control with continuous or intermittent treatment in adults with plaque psoriasis.⁷

AhR agonists for Inflammatory Skin Diseases: 2026 Expert Consensus Panel on AhR Agonists

A 2026 international expert consensus on AhR agonists further recognised this class as a distinct non-steroidal therapeutic approach, with multimodal effects involving immune pathways, skin-barrier function and oxidative stress. The consensus noted tapinarof's role in both initial and long-term management of adult psoriasis and its potential use alongside systemic therapies, and its favourable safety profile, with no restrictions on anatomical site, body surface area or duration of use in the consensus recommendations⁷.

Speaking to Medical Dialogues, Ms. Nita Borkar, President - Sales and Marketing, Dermatology Business at Eris Lifesciences, said, “Psoriasis is a chronic condition that can significantly impact patients’ quality of life, and long-term topical treatment remains an important part of its management. With PSORITUF, we are bringing a novel, non-steroidal approach to psoriasis care in India.

Eris Lifesciences, a leading global pharmaceutical company, has been dedicated to enhancing healthcare through innovative, patient-centric solutions. With a strong presence in chronic disease management, Eris focuses on advancing treatments in key therapeutic areas such as dermatology, cardiology, and diabetes care, driven by a commitment to quality, accessibility, and improving patient outcomes.