New Treatments & Clinical Trials for Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis affects roughly one in three people with psoriasis, causing joint pain, swelling, and sometimes permanent damage if untreated. Treatment has improved dramatically in the past two decades with biologics targeting specific immune pathways. Many people now achieve minimal disease activity, though some continue to experience flares and joint damage.

What's actually going on in research

Trials are testing newer IL-23 inhibitors that may offer longer remission with less frequent dosing, oral JAK inhibitors that work faster than biologics, and drugs targeting IL-17 with better skin and joint control. Researchers are also studying early aggressive treatment to prevent joint damage, combination therapies, and whether treating psoriasis early can prevent arthritis from starting.

What to know before you search

Eligibility usually depends on disease activity (number of swollen and tender joints), prior treatment failures, and sometimes presence of enthesitis or dactylitis.

What types of trials are currently open

• Drug comparison trials — Testing whether newer biologics or JAK inhibitors work better than TNF inhibitors like adalimumab, which have been standard treatment for years.
• Early treatment trials — Starting aggressive treatment right after diagnosis to see if it prevents joint damage better than the usual step-up approach.
• Combination trials — Testing whether combining a biologic with methotrexate or another drug works better than either alone.
• Dosing studies — Finding the lowest effective dose of biologics or testing extended dosing intervals to reduce cost and injection burden.
• Treat-to-target trials — Adjusting treatment every few months based on joint counts and imaging, aiming for complete remission rather than just improvement.