March 28 (Reuters) - Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical ( TAK )

said on Saturday its experimental psoriasis

pill helped about 70% of patients achieve clear or almost clear

skin in two late-stage trials, raising the prospect of a

convenient alternative to injectable treatments.

* The once-daily oral drug, zasocitinib, was being tested in

patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis - a chronic

autoimmune condition in which red, scaly patches occur on the

skin due to an overactive immune system.

* In the two late-stage trials, 71.4% and 69.2% of patients

taking Takeda's drug achieved clear or almost clear skin at 16

weeks, compared with 10.7% and 12.6% of those on placebo.

* The studies also showed that 32.1% and 29.7% of patients

treated with Amgen's ( AMGN ) psoriasis drug Otezla, or

apremilast, reached similar levels of skin clearance.

* Among patients who responded by week 40 and stayed on the

drug, more than 90% maintained their improvement through week

60, Takeda said.

* Treatment-related side effects, such as upper respiratory

infections and acne, were reported in 62.1% of patients taking

zasocitinib, compared with 46.9% on placebo and 50.5% on Amgen's ( AMGN )

Otezla, the company said.

* Zasocitinib is an experimental pill designed to block key

immune pathways linked to psoriasis.

* Takeda said it is on track to file marketing applications

with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory

authorities this year.

* Takeda is also testing the drug in a head-to-head study

against Bristol Myers Squibb's ( BMY ) Sotyktu in psoriasis, and

in a late-stage study for psoriatic arthritis.