Your Patients Are Struggling to Find Sotyktu — Here's How to Help

You prescribed Sotyktu (Deucravacitinib) because it's the right medication for your patient's moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. But now they're calling your office frustrated, saying their pharmacy doesn't carry it. This scenario has become increasingly common in 2026.

The good news: the drug isn't in shortage. The challenge is navigating its specialty distribution model. This guide provides practical, actionable steps your practice can implement to help patients get their Sotyktu prescriptions filled efficiently.

Current Availability

Sotyktu is not on the FDA drug shortage list as of early 2026. BMS continues to manufacture and supply the medication without interruption. However, Sotyktu is distributed primarily through specialty pharmacy channels, meaning:

• Most major retail chains (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid) do not routinely stock it
• Patients who receive prescriptions at retail pharmacies will typically be told it's "unavailable" or "on backorder"
• Specialty pharmacies affiliated with BMS's distribution network generally have consistent supply

Why Patients Can't Find It

Understanding the root causes helps you address patient concerns proactively:

1. Specialty-only distribution: BMS distributes Sotyktu through a limited network of specialty pharmacies, not through standard wholesale channels used by retail pharmacies.
2. Cost-driven stocking decisions: At ~$2,000–$2,400/month, retail pharmacies avoid the inventory risk of stocking a medication that may not be picked up.
3. Insurance delays: Prior authorization and step therapy requirements can take days to weeks, during which the patient may believe the drug is unavailable when it's actually an insurance issue.
4. Patient confusion: Many patients don't understand the difference between a retail pharmacy and a specialty pharmacy, leading to frustration when their usual pharmacy can't help.

What Providers Can Do: 5 Steps

Step 1: Route Prescriptions to Specialty Pharmacies

The single most impactful step is to send Sotyktu prescriptions directly to a specialty pharmacy rather than the patient's usual retail pharmacy. If your practice doesn't have an established specialty pharmacy relationship, consider partnering with one that regularly handles BMS products. Many specialty pharmacies offer:

• Direct home delivery
• Dedicated patient coordinators
• Integrated prior authorization support

Step 2: Front-Load Prior Authorization

Don't wait for the pharmacy to initiate the prior auth. Your practice can submit prior authorization proactively — ideally on the same day you write the prescription. Key documentation to include upfront:

• Confirmed diagnosis with ICD-10 code (L40.0 for plaque psoriasis)
• Body surface area (BSA) involvement
• Prior treatment history (to satisfy step therapy)
• Prescriber specialty (dermatology)

Using electronic prior authorization (ePA) through your EHR can reduce turnaround from weeks to days.

Step 3: Use Medfinder to Locate Stock

Medfinder for providers lets you or your staff check real-time pharmacy inventory for Sotyktu. This is especially useful when:

• A patient needs the medication urgently
• Their specialty pharmacy has a temporary delay
• You want to identify local pharmacies that may carry it

Bookmark medfinder.com/providers for quick access.

Step 4: Enroll Patients in Financial Assistance

Cost can be a barrier even after the pharmacy is identified. Help patients enroll in support programs at the time of prescribing:

• BMS Sotyktu Savings Card: Eligible commercially insured patients may pay $0/month
• BMS Patient Assistance Foundation: Free medication for qualifying uninsured/underinsured patients
• Coupon platforms: SingleCare, GoodRx, and others may offer discounts at participating pharmacies

For a comprehensive list, see our provider guide to helping patients save on Sotyktu.

Step 5: Educate Your Patients

Set expectations at the point of prescribing. Let patients know that:

• Sotyktu is a specialty medication that may not be available at their usual pharmacy
• It may take several days for insurance approval and pharmacy processing
• Home delivery from a specialty pharmacy is a common and convenient option
• Support programs exist to reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket costs

You can share our patient-facing articles directly: How to find Sotyktu in stock and How to save money on Sotyktu.

When to Consider Alternatives

If a patient truly cannot access Sotyktu despite these steps — whether due to insurance denial, cost, or personal preference — consider these alternatives:

• Skyrizi (Risankizumab): IL-23 inhibitor biologic. Excellent efficacy for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Injection every 12 weeks.
• Tremfya (Guselkumab): IL-23 inhibitor biologic. Strong efficacy. Injection every 8 weeks.
• Otezla (Apremilast): Oral PDE4 inhibitor. Better suited for mild-to-moderate disease. Twice-daily dosing.

For a patient-friendly comparison, share our alternatives to Sotyktu guide.

Workflow Tips for Your Practice

• Create a Sotyktu prescribing checklist that includes specialty pharmacy routing, prior auth submission, and financial assistance enrollment — all at the point of prescribing.
• Designate a team member to manage specialty medication access. Having a single point of contact for patients reduces confusion and dropped prescriptions.
• Track prior auth outcomes. If a payer consistently denies Sotyktu, document the pattern — it may inform your approach for future patients or support a peer-to-peer review.
• Bookmark Medfinder for providers for quick stock checks when patients call with availability issues.

Final Thoughts

Sotyktu access in 2026 requires more intentional workflow than many other prescriptions, but the clinical benefits for appropriate patients make the effort worthwhile. By routing to specialty pharmacies, front-loading prior authorization, and proactively connecting patients with financial support, your practice can minimize access delays and improve treatment adherence.

For the latest on supply and availability, see our Sotyktu shortage briefing for providers.