Topical Use of 2% Tofacitinib for Nail Psoriasis: an Exploratory Clinical Study

March 16, 2026 updated by: Doris Hexsel, Hexsel Dermatology Clinic
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical 2% tofacitinib nail lacquer in nail psoriasis, using the NAPSI and DLQI scales before and after 26 weeks of treatment.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
10

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria: Age ≥ 18 years;

  • Presence of nail psoriasis in at least one fingernail or toenail;
  • Patients not using systemic medication, or without adequate response to systemic medication after at least 6 months of use;
  • Ability to read, understand, and sign the Informed Consent Form (ICF) and the Consent Form for Images, Presentations, and Scientific Publications.

Exclusion Criteria: Pregnant or breastfeeding women or those planning to become pregnant during the study period;

  • History of sensitivity to any components of the study product;
  • Initiation of systemic medication for nail psoriasis less than six months prior.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Medicated Nail Lacquer
Drug: Topical 2% Tofacitinib
Following participant selection, confirmation of eligibility criteria, and completion of the baseline clinical assessment (Day 0), each participant will receive one bottle of nail lacquer containing Tofacitinib 2% for home use throughout the study period. Application of the investigational product will be the responsibility of the participant and must be performed once daily, in accordance with the instructions provided by the research team. Prior to each new application, the participant must completely remove the previous layer of nail lacquer, ensuring that the nail surface is clean and dry. After removal, a new uniform layer of the product should be applied to the affected nail(s). The product must be used daily and continuously for the entire duration of the study, in compliance with the schedule established in the study protocol.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The efficacy of topical 2% tofacitinib
Time Frame: 26 weeks
The Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) evaluates nail psoriasis severity by assessing a target nail for nail matrix and nail bed involvement. The nail is divided into four quadrants. Nail matrix psoriasis includes pitting, leukonychia, red spots in the lunula, and nail plate crumbling, while nail bed psoriasis comprises onycholysis, splinter hemorrhages, oil drop (salmon patch) discoloration, and nail bed hyperkeratosis. Each component is scored from 0 to 4 according to the number of quadrants affected (1 = 1/4, 2 = 2/4, 3 = 3/4, 4 = 4/4). The total NAPSI score per nail is calculated as the sum of matrix and nail bed scores, ranging from 0 to 8. The score is directly proportional to disease severity, with higher scores indicating greater nail involvement and a score of zero representing absence of nail manifestations. In clinical studies, a decrease in NAPSI score over time indicates clinical improvement.
26 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Safety, Quality of Life, and Treatment Adherence with 2% Tofacitinib
Time Frame: 26 weeks
The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is a validated, standardized instrument used to assess the impact of dermatological diseases on patients' quality of life over the preceding seven days. The questionnaire consists of 10 items covering symptoms and feelings, daily activities, leisure, work or school, personal relationships, and treatment-related burden. Each item is scored on a four-point scale from 0 to 3, where 0 indicates "not at all" and 3 indicates "very much." The total DLQI score is calculated as the sum of all items, yielding a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 30. Interpretation is directly proportional to disease impact: higher scores reflect greater impairment and worse dermatology-related quality of life, whereas lower scores indicate less impact, with a score of zero representing no effect on quality of life.
26 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Monitoring of treatment adherence
Time Frame: 26 weeks.
This study evaluates the use of a medicated nail lacquer for the treatment of nail psoriasis, and one of the outcome measures will be the monitoring of treatment adherence, including the frequency of application and the correct execution of the nail lacquer application technique. Adherence will be systematically monitored throughout the study period using structured records to verify whether the product is applied in accordance with the dosing regimen and protocol-defined instructions. This monitoring aims to ensure intervention fidelity and to support the accurate interpretation of the treatment's efficacy and safety outcomes.
26 weeks.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Hexsel Dermatology Clinic

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 9, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 22, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 31, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 18, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 16, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 12-DPCHD25-04

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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