Amgen ramps up Otezla expansion effort with positive data in mild psoriasis

Ever since Amgen bought Celgene’s psoriasis drug Otezla for an eye-popping $13.4 billion last summer, the company has been promising investors it would find enough new markets for the drug to justify the investment.

Now, it’s taking a step in that direction with a plan to apply to the FDA for a label expansion into mild to moderate plaque psoriasis. The filing comes after data were released from a phase 3 trial showing that patients taking Otezla experienced a significant improvement in their symptoms over those on a placebo.