Closing Gaps: Takeda Enhances Diversity in Psoriasis Trials

Key Takeaways

• Takeda’s U.S. psoriasis trials exceeded diversity goals, doubling Black and Hispanic enrollment, according to the manufacturer.
• Asian representation in trials met targets after tailored outreach to communities.
• Native American enrollment surpassed U.S. population representation, but fell short of estimates.

Takeda’s phase 3 psoriasis (PsO) clinical trials in the United States achieved success in enhancing racial and ethnic diversity among participants, according to new data from the manufacturer. 

Psoriasis affects over 7.5 million individuals in the U.S. and 60 million globally, with racial disparities in care and diagnosis widely documented, Takeda noted in a newly released fact sheet for practitioners and psoriasis patients. Black and Hispanic patients often experience longer times to diagnosis and lower biologic treatment rates compared to white patients. 

The study set enrollment targets reflecting estimated disease prevalence across racial and ethnic groups.

According to the newly published data, Black enrollment nearly doubled, and Hispanic participation more than doubled compared to prior benchmarks. Asian representation met the target after adjustments to recruitment efforts, which included tailoring digital outreach to resonate with Asian populations. Native American enrollment fell short of expectations but exceeded their proportion in the U.S. population.

Takeda said the trials used data-driven approaches, synthesizing epidemiological insights, real-world evidence, and patient demographics to inform enrollment goals. Despite achieving racial and ethnic diversity targets in recent trials, the data also pointed to challenges in enrolling female participants, which Takeda noted was consistent with broader dermatology trial trends.

“We recognized the limitations of available psoriasis epidemiology data in the U.S., especially the underrepresentation of various populations," said LaShell Robinson, head of global feasibility and trial equity at Takeda. "So, we decided to unify data from multiple sources to paint what we believe is a more accurate representation of the psoriasis patient population in the U.S. We then used this collection of information to establish our enrollment goals for our clinical trials in the U.S."