Phase 3 Success and Primary Endpoint Achieved
InventisBio’s nomelcitinib met its primary endpoint in a phase 3 trial, providing proof of concept that the TYK2 inhibitor can compete with other drugs used to treat psoriasis.
Shanghai-based InventisBio randomized 391 people in China to receive one of two nomelcitinib regimens or placebo. By Week 16, over 70% of the patients in both groups had seen a ≥ 90% decrease on the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI). InventisBio hasn’t released placebo results yet, but in the trial, the biotech reported that nomelcitinib beat the control significantly, hitting the trial’s primary endpoint.
Competitive PASI 90 Efficacy Benchmark
The PASI 90 rate, which is in line with the phase 2 result, looks competitive. Cross-trial comparisons are not always reliable, and in particular when comparing Chinese trials to any global study, but the PASI 90 is higher than seen with Takeda’s and Alumis’ other TYK2 drugs in development.
Takeda paired its TYK2 inhibitor zasocitinib with PASI 90 results at Week 16 of its phase 3 trials of 61.3% and 51.9%. At Week 16 of the trial, Alumis reported PASI 90 rates of 59.9% and 53.1% for its phase 3 studies of envudeucitinib. In the two adult trials that enabled Icotyde to be approved by the FDA, Johnson & Johnson and Protagonist Therapeutics’ oral L-23 receptor antagonist reached PASI 90 and 95 rates of 50% and 55%, respectively.
InventisBio reported a hit on a key secondary endpoint looking at the proportion of patients with clear or almost clear skin at Week 16. A response rate of more than 80% was achieved by more than 80% of patients treated with nomelcitinib compared with placebo. Again, InventisBio’s data are competitive with results provided by Alumis, J&J and Takeda.
Safety Profile and Active Clinical Expansion
In the study, no new safety signals arose, and InventisBio is moving forward with data that may be applicable in a variety of indications for approval. In China, the biotech launched yet another phase 3 study in January that involved its drug candidate against a competitor from Bristol Myers Squibb, TYK2 inhibitor Sotyktu, the benchmark J&J and Takeda have surpassed. InventisBio is currently conducting a phase 2 psoriasis study in the U.S.
InventisBio has worldwide rights to nomelcitinib, and the biotech’s China program also comprises phase 2 clinical trials in ulcerative colitis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and vitiligo. This spectrum has led to the highest stock prices in the class, and even led Takeda to pay $4 billion upfront for zasocitinib in 2022.
InventisBio Achieves Major Phase 3 Psoriasis Breakthrough
InventisBio has announced positive topline results from a registrational Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating its investigational oral TYK2 inhibitor, nomelcitinib (D-2570), in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The announcement, made on November 2, 2026, marks an important milestone for the China-based biotechnology company as it advances its autoimmune disease development portfolio.
The clinical trial successfully achieved both its primary endpoint and key secondary endpoint, demonstrating statistically significant improvements compared with placebo. The results position InventisBio as an emerging competitor in the increasingly competitive oral psoriasis treatment market.
The study enrolled 391 patients who were randomly assigned to receive one of two nomelcitinib treatment regimens or placebo. At Week 16, both treatment groups demonstrated substantial improvements in psoriasis symptoms, including significant skin clearance.
What the Phase 3 Success Means for the Psoriasis Market
The positive clinical findings from InventisBio arrive at a time when pharmaceutical companies are competing to develop more convenient and effective treatments for psoriasis.
Biologic therapies have transformed the treatment landscape, but oral medicines remain attractive because they can offer patients alternatives to injectable treatments.
The strong PASI 90 and PGA 0/1 responses reported for nomelcitinib could strengthen interest in the next generation of oral immunology medicines.
However, clinical efficacy is only one component of commercial success. Regulatory approval, long-term safety, pricing, manufacturing capabilities, and competition will all influence the candidate’s future position.
For InventisBio, the upcoming head-to-head trial and additional clinical development results will be particularly important.
