Delgocitinib cream outperforms alitretinoin capsule in treating severe chronic hand eczema

Key takeaways:

• Delgocitinib cream is an investigational, topical pan-Janus kinase inhibitor.
• Patients treated with delgocitinib experienced better IGA success, severity reduction and quality of life vs. alitretinoin.

Delgocitinib cream demonstrated superiority to alitretinoin capsules in the treatment of severe chronic hand eczema, LEO Pharma announced in a press release.

Alitretinoin (Panretin, Concordia) is the only treatment currently approved to specifically treat severe chronic hand eczema (CHE) in patients who do not respond to topical corticosteroids. Delgocitinib cream (LEO Pharma), on the other hand, is an investigational, topical pan-Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor.

In a phase 3 study from LEO Pharma, the efficacy and safety of delgocitinib cream was compared with alitretinoin capsules for the treatment of severe chronic hand eczema.

Brian Hilberdink

“CHE affects up to approximately 9% to 11% of people globally and there are currently no topical treatments specifically approved for moderate to severe CHE,” Brian Hilberdink, executive vice president, region North America, and president of LEO Pharma, told Healio. “This is the first phase 3 trial comparing a topical pan-JAK inhibitor with an oral systemic treatment in CHE.”

In the trial, 513 patients were assigned delgocitinib cream or alitretinoin capsules. According to the release, delgocitinib cream achieved the primary outcome of the study by demonstrating a superior reduction in Hand Eczema Severity Index score from baseline to week 12 vs. alitretinoin capsules.

Compared with alitretinoin-treated patients, patients treated with delgocitinib cream also experienced better IGA success, a higher reduction in severity from baseline to week 24 and significant improvement in quality of life as measured by the Dermatology Quality of Life Index.

Patients treated with delgocitinib cream also experienced a lower number of treatment-emergent adverse events vs. those treated with alitretinoin capsules.

Delgocitinib cream is currently not approved for use by any health administrations.

“If approved by regulatory authorities for use in moderate to severe CHE, this trial will provide dermatologists with data to support evidence-based decisions that can suit the patient’s needs,” Hilberdink said.