Summary
Cyclosporine has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Psoriatic Arthritis would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Psoriatic Arthritis. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 3 registered trials linking Cyclosporine to Psoriatic Arthritis: 2 are currently recruiting; 1 is active or not yet recruiting. The most advanced is Phase 2 (NCT07138898). The largest enrolment is 3500 participants (NCT01848028). Registration activity spans 2008 to 2025. The literature layer holds 9 publications for this pair: 2 Cochrane reviews, 4 systematic reviews and 3 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 2001 to 2025. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Psoriatic Arthritis ranks 50 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Spontaneous remission uncommon (<5%); progressive joint damage in 40-60% without adequate treatment; enthesitis, dactylitis, axial involvement accumulate over time.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 57.0 (trials 9.0, literature 28.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 3 total: 2 recruiting, 1 active / not yet recruiting, 0 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 9 (4 systematic reviews, 3 clinical trial publications, 2 Cochrane reviews) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | DGIdb |
| Linked via biomarker / target | CD80 |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT07138898 | Immunosuppressant Management in Rheumatology Patients Undergoing Elective Total Shoulder Arthroplasty 2025 | not yet recruiting | Phase 2 | 80 |
| NCT01706692 | Swiss Dermatology Network of Targeted Therapies (SDNTT) 2011 | recruiting | Not applicable | 1,121 |
| NCT01848028 | PsoBest - The German Psoriasis Registry 2008 | recruiting | Not applicable | 3,500 |
Published literature
- Systematic review Emerging biological therapies for psoriatic arthritis: A systematic reviewFirdous S, Amjad H, Choudhary MU et al. · Medicine · 2025 · PMID 41189198
- Cochrane review Management of Nail Disease in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis: An Updated Literature Review Informing the 2021 GRAPPA Treatment RecommendationsLaheru D, Antony A, Carneiro S et al. · The Journal of rheumatology · 2023 · PMID 36319021
- Systematic review Spotlight on the treatment armamentarium of concomitant psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic reviewConforti C, Dianzani C, Zalaudek I et al. · The Journal of dermatological treatment · 2022 · PMID 33074781
- Systematic review Systematic Review and Recommendations to Combine Newer Therapies With Conventional Therapy in Psoriatic DiseaseArora S, Das P, Arora G · Frontiers in medicine · 2021 · PMID 34490293
- Systematic review Psoriasis treatment in HIV-positive patients: a systematic review of systemic immunosuppressive therapiesNakamura M, Abrouk M, Farahnik B et al. · Cutis · 2018 · PMID 29529104
- Cochrane review A systematic literature review of drug therapies for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis: current evidence and meta-analysis informing the EULAR recommendations for the management of psoriatic arthritisAsh Z, Gaujoux-Viala C, Gossec L et al. · Annals of the rheumatic diseases · 2012 · PMID 21803753
- Clinical trial publication Adalimumab or cyclosporine as monotherapy and in combination in severe psoriatic arthritis: results from a prospective 12-month nonrandomized unblinded clinical trialKaranikolas GN, Koukli EM, Katsalira A et al. · The Journal of rheumatology · 2011 · PMID 21885499
- Clinical trial publication Efficacy and safety of etanercept in psoriasis after switching from other treatments: an observational studyMazzotta A, Esposito M, Costanzo A et al. · American journal of clinical dermatology · 2009 · PMID 19658444
- Clinical trial publication A comparison of cyclosporine, sulfasalazine, and symptomatic therapy in the treatment of psoriatic arthritisSalvarani C, Macchioni P, Olivieri I et al. · The Journal of rheumatology · 2001 · PMID 11669169
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target CD80. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cyclosporine approved for Psoriatic Arthritis?
Cyclosporine has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Psoriatic Arthritis would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Psoriatic Arthritis. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Cyclosporine in clinical trials for Psoriatic Arthritis?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 3 registered trials linking Cyclosporine to Psoriatic Arthritis: 2 are currently recruiting; 1 is active or not yet recruiting. The most advanced is Phase 2 (NCT07138898). The largest enrolment is 3500 participants (NCT01848028). Registration activity spans 2008 to 2025.
What does the evidence show for Cyclosporine in Psoriatic Arthritis?
Trials of Cyclosporine in Psoriatic Arthritis are registered but none has completed, so there is no outcome evidence from those studies yet; the record is a signal of research interest. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target CD80. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-06. Page built 2026-10-07.