Real-world effectiveness of abrocitinib treatment in patients with difficult-to-treat atopic dermatitis

Background: 

Abrocitinib is a JAK-1 selective inhibitor registered for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD). Although efficacy and safety have been shown in phase 3 clinical trials, data on real-world patients with a treatment history of advanced systemics are scarce. 

Objectives:

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of abrocitinib treatment in patients with difficult-to-treat AD in daily practice. 

Methods: 

In this prospective observational single-centre study, all AD patients who started abrocitinib treatment in the context of standard care between April 2021 and December 2022 were included. Effectiveness was assessed using clinician- and patient-reported outcome measures. Adverse events were evaluated. 

Results: 

Forty-one patients were included. The majority (n = 30; 73.2%) had failed (ineffectiveness) on other targeted therapies, including JAK inhibitors (n = 14, 34%) and biologics (n = 16, 39%). Abrocitinib treatment resulted in a significant decrease in disease severity during a median follow-up period of 25 weeks (IQR 16–34). Median EASI score at baseline decreased from 14.7 (IQR 10.4–25.4) to 4.0 (IQR 1.6–11.4) at last review (p < 0.001). Median NRS itch decreased from 7.0 (IQR 5–8) to 3.0 (IQR 1–2) at last review (p < 0.001). The most frequently reported AEs included gastrointestinal symptoms (27.6%), acne (20.7%) and respiratory tract infections (17.2%). 16 (39%) patients discontinued abrocitinib treatment due to ineffectiveness, AEs or both (41.2%, 41.2% and 11.8%, respectively). 

Conclusion: 

Abrocitinib can be an effective treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe AD in daily practice, including non-responders to other targeted therapies.