IL-23 Inhibitors in Psoriasis: Optimizing Access and Patient Outcomes Across Integrated Systems

Program Description

Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune skin disease that is driven by genetic and environmental factors and progressively impairs quality of life as its severity increases. While mild to moderate psoriasis can be managed with topicals and phototherapy, biologics are recommended for moderate to severe disease. Growing evidence supports IL-23 as a highly effective target, exemplified by a number of investigational and approved agents showing robust clinical responses and long-term safety across multiple trials. However, challenges to biologic therapy in psoriasis include high rates of therapy interruptions within the first year of initiation and medication access barriers such as step therapy. These challenges impose economic constraints on patients and health plans and can result in treatment delays. Pharmacist-led interventions that optimize therapy and reduce costly treatment interruptions can improve both clinical outcomes and overall health care efficiency. Pharmacists in integrated delivery networks (IDNs) have a wide range of roles and can increase patient access to treatment options, as well as participate in standardizing practices across the network to align with guideline recommendations. Managed care professionals must balance the disease burden and high biologics costs while weighing various factors such as administration costs as well as safety and tolerability. This activity will equip managed care and population health professionals within IDNs to address the significant clinical and economic challenges of psoriasis by applying current knowledge on disease mechanisms, clinical evidence, and real-world considerations for IL-23–targeted biologics.

Target audience: Managed Care Pharmacist, Specialty Pharmacist

Type of activity: Application
Release date: October 31, 2025
Expiration date: October 31, 2026

Time to complete activity: 1.0 hours

Learner level: Intermediate
Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Illustrate the clinical and economic burden of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, including comorbidities and patient-reported outcomes.
2. Examine the latest clinical guidelines and evidence on disease-modifying therapies targeting the IL-23 pathway for the treatment of psoriasis.
3. Identify strategies to align access to IL-23 inhibitors with value-based care principles in managed care and integrated delivery networks.