Abrocitinib vs. placebo or dupilumab for atopic dermatitis

To better understand the potential of abrocitinib as a treatment for atopic dermatitis, researchers launched the JADE COMPARE clinical study. The trial’s 838 patients, whose skin condition did not respond to topical agents or required systemic therapy, were randomly assigned to one of four treatment arms. A total of 226 patients were treated with 200 mg daily of abrocitinib, an oral Janus kinase 1 inhibitor that reduces interleukin-4 signaling, with another 238 receiving 100 mg doses. Additionally, 243 participants received subcutaneous dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody that also blocks interleukin 4, every other week. The final study cohort included 131 enrollees who received placebo. Based on 12- and 16-week outcomes, including an Investigator’s Global Assessment response and an Eczema Area and Severity Index-75 response, both doses of abrocitinib were superior to placebo in reducing the signs and symptoms of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. The higher dose also was superior to dupilumab with respect to itch response at week 2—a key secondary endpoint—but neither dose differed greatly from dupilumab in terms of most other secondary outcomes at week 16.