Tapinarof, also known as benvitimod and sold under the brand name Vtama among others, is a medication used for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. The medication is applied to the skin. Besides its use in medicine, tapinarof is a naturally occurring compound found in bacterial symbionts of nematodes which has antibiotic properties.

The medication acts as an aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist.

Tapinarof was approved for medical use in the United States in May 2022. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers it to be a first-in-class medication.

Tapinarof is indicated for the treatment of plaque psoriasis in adults.

In case of short term use the most common adverse effects are folliculitis, contact dermatitis, headache, pruritus (itching), and upper respiratory tract infection.

Tapinarof binds directly to topical aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), suppressing inflammatory cytokines, modulating skin barrier protein expression, reducing oxidative stress, and regulating gene expression in immune cells.

Tapinarof 1% cream once daily was superior to vehicle control in reducing the severity of plaque psoriasis over a period of 12 weeks and having a favorable safety profile in the treatment of psoriatic patients.

Tapinarof, also known as benvitimod and sold under the brand name Vtama, is a medication used for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. The medication is applied to the skin. Besides its use in medicine, tapinarof is a naturally occurring compound found in bacterial symbionts of nematodes which has antibiotic properties.