Starting this month, Janssen's psoriasis treatment, Tremfya (ingredient: guselkumab), will be covered by the national health insurance for patients in Korea with palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) treated with methotrexate or cyclosporine.

Previously, Tremfya was only covered for patients with PPP treated with acitretin. However, acitretin has been limited in certain patient populations, including pregnant women, women who may become pregnant, and women who plan to become pregnant.

Accordingly, methotrexate and cyclosporine were added to the list of approved pre-administered medications for Tremfya.

Specifically, the revised reimbursement criteria include patients 18 years or older with moderate-to-severe PPP who have a PPPASI of 12 or greater and have been treated with acitretin, methotrexate, or cyclosporine at therapeutic doses for at least three months and have not responded or are unable to continue treatment due to side effects.

Likewise, those patients who have been treated with phototherapy for at least three months and have not responded or cannot continue treatment due to side effects will also be reimbursed, said a company official.

Tremfya was approved in Korea in May 2019 for the treatment of moderate to severe PPP in adults who have had an inadequate response to universal treatments and has been covered since May 2021.

"Among the biologics licensed in Korea, Tremfya is the only one that is approved and reimbursed for the treatment of palmoplantar pustulosis," said Yoon Sung-hee, Immunology Business Unit Director at Janssen Korea. "We will continue to take the lead in improving the treatment environment so that more patients can access optimal treatment."