Anti-CCR4 inhibitor shows promise in atopic dermatitis
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BOSTON — Atopic dermatitis patients treated with an oral CCR4 inhibitor showed improvement in disease severity, as well as down-regulation of AD genes, according to a study presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting.
“This is a 4-week study, with a small number of patients, relatively,” Emma Guttman-Yassky, MD, PhD, the Waldman Professor and System Chair of the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the study’s presenter, told Healio. “This shows how tight, small studies can provide a glimpse of what happens potentially later, particularly when they are accompanied with biomarkers.”
The study enrolled 31 moderate to severe AD patients randomly assigned 2:1 to receive RPT193 (RAPT Therapeutics) or placebo. At day 29, those on the treatment drug showed significant improvement, measured by a decrease in Eczema Area and Severity Index and Scoring Atopic Dermatitis scores.
RNA-sequencing and a meta-analysis of 593 genes was also conducted. In patients treated with RPT193, there were decreased gene signatures associated with the Th2, Th22 and Th1 immune pathways, correlating with clinical efficacy.
“These are impressive results for only 4 weeks. CCR4 is a novel antagonist that in a short study is able to reverse key features of atopic dermatitis in skin as well as improve a barrier function,” Guttman-Yassky said. “We see a very nice disease improvement only in patients who were treated with drug, while patients who were on placebo did not improve.”