Upadacitinib Effective Long Term for AD in Adolescents

TOPLINE:

Long-term treatment with upadacitinib in adolescents with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) demonstrated sustained efficacy and an acceptable safety profile through 76 weeks across three phase 3 trials.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted three double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 randomized clinical trials (Measure Up 1, Measure Up 2, and AD Up) involving 542 adolescents aged 12-17 years with moderate to severe AD.
• Participants were randomized to receive the oral Janus kinase inhibitor upadacitinib (15 mg or 30 mg once daily) or placebo, with or without topical corticosteroids, for 16 weeks, followed by rerandomization of patients in the placebo group to upadacitinib for up to 76 weeks.
• Study endpoints were at least a 75%, 90%, or 100% reduction in the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-75, EASI-90, and EASI-100, respectively), Validated Investigator Global Assessment for AD (vIGA-AD) score of 0 or 1, and a ≥ 4-point improvement in the Worst Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (WP-NRS).
• Adverse events were monitored, including serious infections, herpes zoster, and creatine kinase elevation.

TAKEAWAY:

• Among those who continued treatment on upadacitinib, 15 mg and 30 mg, EASI-75 response rates were maintained or improved through week 76 in all three studies. Patients who switched from placebo to upadacitinib also experienced improvements in EASI-75 through week 76.
• The proportion of patients who achieved EASI-90 and EASI-100 responses increased, and in general, were maintained from week 16 through week 76 in all three studies; the proportion was numerically higher among patients on 30 mg for all three studies.
• The proportion of adolescents achieving vIGA-AD score of 0 or 1 and WP-NRS improvement of ≥ 4 points was sustained or improved through 76 weeks.
• Serious infections were reported in five patients or fewer in each treatment group for all three studies. All opportunistic infections were eczema herpeticum; most cases were not serious, or were mild or moderate, and in general, did not require stopping treatment.

IN PRACTICE:

“These results through 76 weeks demonstrated that upadacitinib, with a favorable benefit-risk profile, was an effective long-term treatment option for adolescents with moderate to severe AD,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Amy S. Paller, MD, professor and chair of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, and was published online on October 23 in JAMA Dermatology.

LIMITATIONS: 

The study limitations included a small sample size, and the findings did not extend to patients under 12 years or those weighing

DISCLOSURES:

This study was supported by AbbVie. Paller received grants and personal fees from pharmaceutical companies including AbbVie during the conduct of the study. Several authors reported financial ties with various sources, including AbbVie.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.