Abrocitinib versus Placebo or Dupilumab for Atopic Dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: The oral Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor abrocitinib, which reduces interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 signaling, is being investigated for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Data from trials comparing JAK1 inhibitors with monoclonal antibodies, such as dupilumab, that block interleukin-4 receptors are limited. METHODS: In a phase 3, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned patients with atopic dermatitis that was unresponsive to topical agents or that warranted systemic therapy (in a 2:2:2:1 ratio) to receive 200 mg or 100 mg of abrocitinib orally once daily, 300 mg of dupilumab subcutaneously every other week (after a loading dose of 600 mg), or placebo; all the patients received topical therapy. The primary end points were an Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) response (defined as a score of 0 [clear] or 1 [almost clear] on the IGA [scores range from 0 to 4], with an improvement of ≥2 points from baseline) and an Eczema Area and Severity Index-75 (EASI-75) response (defined as ≥75% improvement from baseline in the score on the EASI [scores range from 0 to 72]) at week 12. The key secondary end points were itch response (defined as an improvement of ≥4 points in the score on the Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale [scores range from 0 to 10]) at week 2 and IGA and EASI-75 responses at week 16. RESULTS: A total of 838 patients underwent randomization; 226 patients were assigned to the 200-mg abrocitinib group, 238 to the 100-mg abrocitinib group, 243 to the dupilumab group, and 131 to the placebo group. An IGA response at week 12 was observed in 48.4% of patients in the 200-mg abrocitinib group, 36.6% in the 100-mg abrocitinib group, 36.5% in the dupilumab group, and 14.0% in the placebo group (P<0.001 for both abrocitinib doses vs. placebo); an EASI-75 response at week 12 was observed in 70.3%, 58.7%, 58.1%, and 27.1%, respectively (P<0.001 for both abrocitinib doses vs. placebo). The 200-mg dose, but not the 100-mg dose, of abrocitinib was superior to dupilumab with respect to itch response at week 2. Neither abrocitinib dose differed significantly from dupilumab with respect to most other key secondary end-point comparisons at week 16. Nausea occurred in 11.1% of the patients in the 200-mg abrocitinib group and 4.2% of those in the 100-mg abrocitinib group, and acne occurred in 6.6% and 2.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this trial, abrocitinib at a dose of either 200 mg or 100 mg once daily resulted in significantly greater reductions in signs and symptoms of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis than placebo at weeks 12 and 16. The 200-mg dose, but not the 100-mg dose, of abrocitinib was superior to dupilumab with respect to itch response at week 2. Neither abrocitinib dose differed significantly from dupilumab with respect to most other key secondary end-point comparisons at week 16. (Funded by Pfizer; JADE COMPARE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03720470.).

Efficacy and safety of abrocitinib versus dupilumab in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Phase 3 trials have assessed efficacy of abrocitinib versus placebo in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, a common immunoinflammatory skin disease. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of abrocitinib versus dupilumab. METHODS: This randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, active-controlled, parallel-treatment, phase 3 trial enrolled adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis who requir=ed systemic therapy or had inadequate response to topical medications. Participants were enrolled from 151 sites, located in Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, and the USA. These participants were then randomly assigned (1:1) with block randomisation to receive oral abrocitinib (200 mg per day) or subcutaneous dupilumab (300 mg every 2 weeks) for 26 weeks. Participants were required to apply topical corticosteroids (medium or low potency), topical calcineurin inhibitors, or a topical phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor to active lesion areas. Primary endpoints were response based on achieving a 4 point or higher improvement in Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (PP-NRS4) at week 2 and a 90% or better improvement in Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-90) at week 4. Family-wise type 1 error was controlled via a sequential multiple-testing procedure (two sided, α=0·05). Randomly assigned participants who received at least one dose of study intervention were included in the efficacy and safety analysis sets. This trial was completed on July 13, 2021 (NCT04345367). FINDINGS: Between June 11, 2020, and Dec 16, 2020, 940 patients were screened and 727 were enrolled (362 in the abrocitinib group and 365 in the dupilumab group). Compared with dupilumab, a larger proportion of patients treated with abrocitinib reached the primary outcomes, PP-NRS4 at week 2 (172 [48%] of 357, 95% CI 43·0-53·4 vs 93 [26%] of 364, 21·1-30·0; difference 22·6%, 15·8-29·5; p<0·0001), and EASI-90 at week 4 (101 [29%] of 354, 23·8-33·2 vs 53 [15%] of 364, 10·9-18·2; difference 14·1%, 8·2-20·0; p<0·0001). Treatment-emergent adverse events were reported by 268 (74%) of 362 patients treated with abrocitinib and by 239 (65%) of 365 patients treated with dupilumab. Two non-treatment-related deaths occurred in the abrocitinib group. INTERPRETATION: Abrocitinib 200 mg per day was more efficacious than dupilumab in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis on background topical therapy in inducing early reductions of itch and atopic dermatitis disease signs. Both treatments were well tolerated over 26 weeks. FUNDING: Pfizer.

Abrocitinib induction, randomized withdrawal, and retreatment in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: Results from the JAK1 Atopic Dermatitis Efficacy and Safety (JADE) REGIMEN phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: The heterogeneous course of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis necessitates treatment flexibility. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the maintenance of abrocitinib-induced response with continuous abrocitinib treatment, dose reduction or withdrawal, and response to treatment reintroduction following flare (JAK1 Atopic Dermatitis Efficacy and Safety [JADE] REGIMEN: National Clinical Trial 03627767). METHODS: Patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis responding to open-label abrocitinib 200 mg monotherapy for 12 weeks were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to blinded abrocitinib (200 or 100 mg) or placebo for 40 weeks. Patients experiencing flare received rescue treatment (abrocitinib 200 mg plus topical therapy). RESULTS: Of 1233 patients, 798 responders to induction (64.7%) were randomly assigned. The flare probability during maintenance was 18.9%, 42.6%, and 80.9% with abrocitinib 200 mg, abrocitinib 100 mg, and placebo, respectively. Among patients with flare in the abrocitinib 200 mg, abrocitinib 100 mg, and placebo groups, 36.6%, 58.8%, and 81.6% regained investigator global assessment 0/1 response, respectively, and 55.0%, 74.5%, and 91.8% regained eczema area and severity index response, respectively, with rescue treatment. During maintenance, 63.2% and 54.0% of patients receiving abrocitinib 200 and 100 mg, respectively, experienced adverse events. LIMITATIONS: The definition of protocol-defined flare was not established, limiting the generalizability of findings. CONCLUSION: Induction treatment with abrocitinib was effective; most responders continuing abrocitinib did not flare. Rescue treatment with abrocitinib plus topical therapy effectively recaptured response.

Efficacy and safety of abrocitinib in adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (JADE MONO-1): a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Abrocitinib, an oral selective Janus kinase 1 inhibitor, was effective and well tolerated in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in a phase 2b trial. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of abrocitinib monotherapy in adolescents and adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. METHODS: In this multicentre, double-blind, randomised phase 3 trial (JADE MONO-1), patients (aged ≥12 years) with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (Investigator Global Assessment score ≥3, Eczema Area and Severity Index [EASI] score ≥16, percentage of body surface area affected ≥10%, and Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale score ≥4) with a bodyweight of 40 kg or more, were enrolled at 69 sites in Australia, Canada, Europe, and the USA. Patients were randomly assigned (2:2:1) to oral abrocitinib 100 mg, abrocitinib 200 mg, or placebo once daily for 12 weeks. Randomisation was done using an interactive response technology system, stratified by baseline disease severity and age. Patients, investigators, and the funder of the study were masked to study treatment. The coprimary endpoints were the proportion of patients who had achieved an Investigator Global Assessment response (score of 0 [clear] or 1 [almost clear] with a ≥2-grade improvement from baseline), and the proportion of patients who achieved at least a 75% improvement in EASI score from baseline (EASI-75) score, both assessed at week 12. Efficacy was assessed in the full analysis set, which included all randomised patients who received at least one dose of study medication. Safety was assessed in all randomised patients. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03349060. FINDINGS: Between Dec 7, 2017, and March 26, 2019, 387 patients were enrolled: 156 were assigned to abrocitinib 100 mg, 154 to abrocitinib 200 mg, and 77 to placebo. All enrolled patients received at least one dose of study treatment and thus were evaluable for 12-week efficacy. Of the patients with available data for the coprimary endpoints at week 12, the proportion of patients who had achieved an Investigator Global Assessment response was significantly higher in the abrocitinib 100 mg group than in the placebo group (37 [24%] of 156 patients vs six [8%] of 76 patients; p=0·0037) and in the abrocitinib 200 mg group compared with the placebo group (67 [44%] of 153 patients vs six [8%] of 76 patients; p<0·0001). Of the patients with available data for the coprimary endpoints at week 12, compared with the placebo group, the proportion of patients who had achieved an EASI-75 response was significantly higher in the abrocitinib 100 mg group (62 [40%] of 156 patients vs nine [12%] of 76 patients; p<0·0001) and abrocitinib 200 mg group (96 [63%] of 153 patients vs nine [12%] of 76 patients; p<0·0001). Adverse events were reported in 108 (69%) of 156 patients in the abrocitinib 100 mg group, 120 (78%) of 154 patients in the abrocitinib 200 mg group, and 44 (57%) of 77 patients in the placebo group. Serious adverse events were reported in five (3%) of 156 patients in the abrocitinib 100 mg group, five (3%) of 154 patients in the abrocitinib 200 mg group, and three (4%) of 77 patients in the placebo group. No treatment-related deaths were reported. INTERPRETATION: Monotherapy with oral abrocitinib once daily was effective and well tolerated in adolescents and adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. FUNDING: Pfizer.

The age again in the eye of the COVID-19 storm: evidence-based decision making.

BACKGROUND: One hundred fifty million contagions, more than 3 million deaths and little more than 1 year of COVID-19 have changed our lives and our health management systems forever. Ageing is known to be one of the significant determinants for COVID-19 severity. Two main reasons underlie this: immunosenescence and age correlation with main COVID-19 comorbidities such as hypertension or dyslipidaemia. This study has two aims. The first is to obtain cut-off points for laboratory parameters that can help us in clinical decision-making. The second one is to analyse the effect of pandemic lockdown on epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory parameters concerning the severity of the COVID-19. For these purposes, 257 of SARSCoV2 inpatients during pandemic confinement were included in this study. Moreover, 584 case records from a previously analysed series, were compared with the present study data. RESULTS: Concerning the characteristics of lockdown series, mild cases accounted for 14.4, 54.1% were moderate and 31.5%, severe. There were 32.5% of home contagions, 26.3% community transmissions, 22.5% nursing home contagions, and 8.8% corresponding to frontline worker contagions regarding epidemiological features. Age > 60 and male sex are hereby confirmed as severity determinants. Equally, higher severity was significantly associated with higher IL6, CRP, ferritin, LDH, and leukocyte counts, and a lower percentage of lymphocyte, CD4 and CD8 count. Comparing this cohort with a previous 584-cases series, mild cases were less than those analysed in the first moment of the pandemic and dyslipidaemia became more frequent than before. IL-6, CRP and LDH values above 69 pg/mL, 97 mg/L and 328 U/L respectively, as well as a CD4 T-cell count below 535 cells/µL, were the best cut-offs predicting severity since these parameters offered reliable areas under the curve. CONCLUSION: Age and sex together with selected laboratory parameters on admission can help us predict COVID-19 severity and, therefore, make clinical and resource management decisions. Demographic features associated with lockdown might affect the homogeneity of the data and the robustness of the results.

COVID-19: age, Interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and lymphocytes as key clues from a multicentre retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 infection has widely spread to become the greatest public health challenge to date, the COVID-19 pandemic. Different fatality rates among countries are probably due to non-standardized records being carried out by local health authorities. The Spanish case-fatality rate is 11.22%, far higher than those reported in Asia or by other European countries. A multicentre retrospective study of demographic, clinical, laboratory and immunological features of 584 Spanish COVID-19 hospitalized patients and their outcomes was performed. The use of renin-angiotensin system blockers was also analysed as a risk factor. RESULTS: In this study, 27.4% of cases presented a mild course, 42.1% a moderate one and for 30.5% of cases, the course was severe. Ages ranged from 18 to 98 (average 63). Almost 60 % (59.8%) of patients were male. Interleukin 6 was higher as severity increased. On the other hand, CD8 lymphocyte count was significantly lower as severity grew and subpopulations CD4, CD8, CD19, and NK showed concordant lowering trends. Severity-related natural killer percent descents were evidenced just within aged cases. A significant severity-related decrease of CD4 lymphocytes was found in males. The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors was associated with a better prognosis. The angiotensin II receptor blocker use was associated with a more severe course. CONCLUSIONS: Age and age-related comorbidities, such as dyslipidaemia, hypertension or diabetes, determined more frequent severe forms of the disease in this study than in previous literature cohorts. Our cases are older than those so far reported and the clinical course of the disease is found to be impaired by age. Immunosenescence might be therefore a suitable explanation for the hampering of immune system effectors. The adaptive immunity would become exhausted and a strong but ineffective and almost deleterious innate response would account for COVID-19 severity. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors used by hypertensive patients have a protective effect in regards to COVID-19 severity in our series. Conversely, patients on angiotensin II receptor blockers showed a severer disease.

Safety of Tofacitinib in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Latin America Compared With the Rest of the World Population.

OBJECTIVE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, autoimmune disease characterized by joint destruction. Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of RA. This post hoc analysis assessed the safety of tofacitinib in Latin American (LA) patients with RA versus the Rest of World (RoW) population. METHODS: Data were pooled from 14 clinical studies of tofacitinib: six Phase 2, six Phase 3 and two long-term extension studies. Incidence rates (IRs; patients with events/100 patient-years of treatment exposure) were calculated for safety events of special interest combined across tofacitinib doses. 95% confidence intervals (CI) for IRs were calculated using the maximum likelihood method. Descriptive comparisons were made between LA and RoW (excluding LA) populations. RESULTS: This analysis included data from 984 LA patients and 4687 RoW patients. IRs for safety events of special interest were generally similar between LA and RoW populations, with overlapping 95% CIs. IRs for discontinuation due to adverse events, serious infections, tuberculosis, all herpes zoster (HZ), serious HZ, malignancies (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) and major adverse cardiovascular events were numerically lower for LA versus RoW patients; IR for mortality was numerically higher. No lymphoma was reported in the LA population versus eight cases in the RoW population. Exposure (extent and length) was lower in the LA population (2148.33 patient-years [mean = 2.18 years]) versus RoW (10515.68 patient-years [mean = 2.24 years]). CONCLUSION: This analysis of pooled data from clinical studies of tofacitinib in patients with RA demonstrates that tofacitinib has a consistent safety profile across LA and RoW patient populations.

Predicting the probability of successful efficacy of a dissociated agonist of the glucocorticoid receptor from dose-response analysis.

PF-04171327 is a dissociated agonist of the glucocorticoid receptor (DAGR) being developed to retain anti-inflammatory efficacy while reducing unwanted effects. Our aim was to conduct a longitudinal dose-response analysis to identify the DAGR doses with efficacy similar to or greater than prednisone 10 mg once daily (QD). The data included were from a Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study in 323 subjects with active rheumatoid arthritis on a background of methotrexate. Subjects received DAGR 1, 5, 10 or 15 mg, prednisone 5 or 10 mg, or placebo QD for 8 weeks. The Disease Activity Score 28-4 calculated using C-Reactive Protein (DAS28-4 CRP) was the efficacy endpoint utilized in this dose-response model. For DAGR, the maximum effect (Emax) on DAS28-4 CRP was estimated to be -1.2 points (95 % CI -1.7, -0.84), and the evaluated dose range provided 31-87 % of the Emax; for prednisone 5 and 10 mg, the estimated effects were -0.27 (95 % CI -0.55, 0.006) and -0.94 point (95 % CI -1.3, -0.59), respectively. Stochastic simulations indicated that the DAGR 1, 5, 10 and 15 mg have probabilities of 0.9, 29, 54 and 62 %, respectively, to achieve efficacy greater than prednisone 10 mg at week 8. DAGR 9 mg estimated probability was 50 % suggesting that DAGR ≥9 mg QD has an effect on DAS28-4 CRP comparable to or greater than prednisone 10 mg QD. This work informs dose selection for late-stage confirmatory trials.

Interpreting the Relationship Among Itch, Sleep, and Work Productivity in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis: A Post Hoc Analysis of JADE MONO-2.

BACKGROUND: Abrocitinib, an oral, once-daily Janus kinase 1-selective inhibitor, improved itch severity, sleep, and work productivity versus placebo in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate relationships among itch, sleep, and work productivity in the phase III JADE MONO-2 clinical trial. METHODS: A repeated-measures longitudinal model was used to examine relationships between itch (using the Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale [PP-NRS] or Nighttime Itch Scale [NTIS]) and sleep disturbance/loss (using the Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure sleep item and SCORing AD Sleep Loss Visual Analog Scale) and, separately, between itch and work productivity (using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment-Atopic Dermatitis Version 2.0 questionnaire). Mediation modelling was used to investigate the effect of treatment (abrocitinib vs placebo) on work impairment via improvements in itch and sleep. RESULTS: The relationships between itch/sleep and itch/work productivity were approximately linear. PP-NRS scores of 0, 4-6, and 10 were associated with 0 days, 3-4 days, and 7 days per week of disturbed sleep, respectively. PP-NRS or NTIS scores of 0-1, 4-5, and 10 were associated with 0-10%, 20-30%, and >50% overall work impairment, respectively. Seventy-five percent of the effect of abrocitinib on reducing work impairment was indirectly mediated by improvement in itch, followed by sleep. CONCLUSION: These results quantitatively demonstrate that reducing itch severity is associated with improvements in sleep and work productivity. Empirical evidence for the mechanism of action of abrocitinib showed that itch severity is improved, which reduces sleep loss/sleep disruption and, in turn, improves work productivity. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03575871.

Atopic dermatitis (AD), also called atopic eczema, is a common skin disease that is associated with itch and reduced quality of life. Abrocitinib, a recently approved medicine for AD, was shown in clinical trials to improve itch, which is considered the most bothersome symptom to people with AD. Abrocitinib also improved sleep outcomes and work productivity in people with moderate or severe AD. It is unknown if improvement in itch can lead to improvement in sleep and work productivity. We analyzed data from the JADE MONO-2 study, which included 391 people who received treatment with abrocitinib or placebo for 12 weeks. We used mathematical modelling to study relationships between itch and sleep or work productivity. We also wanted to study if the improvements in itch and sleep with abrocitinib treatment had an impact on work productivity. We found that a relationship existed between itch, sleep disturbance, and work impairment; as itch improved, so too did sleep disturbance and work impairment. When people were treated with abrocitinib, they experienced relief from itch, which improved sleep, which in turn reduced work productivity loss. Larger and longer studies are needed to confirm these results. This analysis further informs the expectations of patients with moderate or severe AD as it relates to progression of symptom relief after treatment with abrocitinib.

Efficacy and safety of abrocitinib monotherapy in adolescents and adults: a post hoc analysis of the phase 3 JAK1 atopic dermatitis efficacy and safety (JADE) REGIMEN clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Differences in atopic dermatitis (AD) disease course and manifestation with age may extend to treatment response. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate response maintenance with continuous-/reduced-dose abrocitinib or withdrawal and response to treatment reintroduction after flare in adolescent and adult participants in JADE REGIMEN (NCT03627767). METHODS: Adolescents (12-17 years) and adults with moderate-to-severe AD responding to abrocitinib 200-mg induction were randomly assigned to 40-week maintenance with abrocitinib (200 mg/100 mg) or placebo. Patients who experienced flare during maintenance received rescue treatment. RESULTS: Of 246 adolescents and 981 adults, 145/246 (58.9%) and 655/981 (66.8%), respectively, responded to induction. Similar proportions of adolescents and adults experienced flare during maintenance with abrocitinib 200 mg (14.9%/16.9%), 100 mg (42.9%/38.9%), and placebo (75.5%/78.0%). From the abrocitinib 200-mg, 100-mg, and placebo arms, respectively, Eczema Area and Severity Index response was recaptured by 28.6%, 25.0%, and 52.9% of adolescents and 34.3%, 33.7%, and 58.0% of adults; Investigator's Global Assessment response, by 42.9%, 50.0%, and 73.5% of adolescents and 34.3%, 50.6%, and 74.1% of adults. Abrocitinib had a similar safety profile regardless of age; nausea incidence was higher in adolescents. LIMITATIONS: Adolescents represented 20% of the trial population. CONCLUSION: Abrocitinib was effective in preventing flare in adolescents and adults.Clinicaltrials.gov listing: NCT03627767.

Recommendations for the use of anti-dsDNA autoantibodies in the diagnosis and follow-up of systemic lupus erythematosus - A proposal from an expert panel.

Anti-dsDNA autoantibodies are listed as one of the classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and are relatively effective indicators for monitoring disease activity and treatment response. Therefore, clinicians rely on them to diagnose and adjust medication and treatment strategies for SLE patients. However, the use of anti-dsDNA antibodies is not free from controversy. Part of this controversy stems from the fact that anti-dsDNA antibodies are found in several disorders, besides SLE. In addition to this, anti-dsDNA antibodies are a heterogeneous group of antibodies, and their determination still lacks proper standardization. Moreover, anti-dsDNA testing specificity and diagnostic performance change depending on the population under study. These and other issues result in inconsistency and encumber the clinical use of anti-dsDNA antibodies. A panel of medical laboratory and clinical experts on SLE discussed such issues based on their clinical experience in a first meeting, establishing a series of recommendations. The proceedings of this first meeting, plus an exhaustive review of the literature, were used to compose a paper draft. The panel subsequently discussed and refined this draft in a second meeting, the result of which is this paper. This document is relevant to clinical laboratories as it guides to improving diagnosis and monitoring of SLE. Simultaneously, it will help laboratories compile more informative reports, not limited to a mere number. It is also relevant to clinical doctors who wish to better understand laboratory methods so that they can do a more efficient, better-aimed laboratory test ordering.

Comparing how well abrocitinib and dupilumab treat atopic dermatitis signs and symptoms: a plain language summary.

WHAT IS THIS SUMMARY ABOUT?: Atopic dermatitis (AD, also called atopic eczema) is a skin disease that that can affect a person for a long time and causes red or flaky skin that can be itchy and uncomfortable. Healthcare providers can prescribe medicated creams and ointments to reduce the visible signs and symptoms of AD, but these treatments are not always enough to keep it under control. A new medicine called abrocitinib is taken every day as a tablet. Abrocitinib works by slowing a part of the body's defense mechanism, called immune response, that is not functioning properly in AD. The clinical study described in this plain language summary, called JADE DARE, investigated how well and how safely 26 weeks of treatment with abrocitinib worked in adults with AD compared to an injected medicine, called dupilumab, that is also approved for AD. WHAT WERE THE RESULTS?: The study showed that abrocitinib was more effective than dupilumab in providing itch relief after 2 weeks. In addition, people who were taking abrocitinib for 4 and 16 weeks experienced greater improvement in the visible skin signs of AD than people who were taking dupilumab. The number of people who had health complaints while taking abrocitinib was similar to the number of people who had health complaints while taking dupilumab. Most of these complaints were minor. WHAT DO THE RESULTS MEAN?: Abrocitinib was more effective than dupilumab in quickly improving the signs and symptoms of moderate or severe AD in people who did not show improvement with prescribed medications like creams or ointments. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT04345367 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Laboratory and clinical practices in antinuclear antibody detection and related antigens: recommendations from a Spanish multicentre survey.

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are the most widely used immunological test for the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases. Despite the recommendations of experts, there is some variability in performing and interpreting this test in routine practice. In this context, the Spanish Group on Autoimmune Diseases (GEAI) of the Spanish Society of Immunology (SEI) conducted a national survey of 50 autoimmunity laboratories. Here we report the survey results on ANA testing, detection of related antigens, and our recommendations. The survey showed that most of the participating laboratories use a similar approach for most key practices: 84% perform ANA by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on HEp-2 cells as the screening methodology while the other laboratories use IIF to confirm positive screens; 90% report ANA test results as either negative or positive with titer and pattern; 86% indicated that the ANA pattern conditioned follow-up testing for specific antigen-related antibodies; and 70% confirm positive anti-dsDNA. However, testing practices were highly heterogeneous for certain items, such as sera dilutions and the minimum time period for repeating ANA and related antigen determinations. Overall, this survey shows that most autoimmune laboratories in Spain use a similar approach but that further standardization of testing and reporting protocols is needed.

Abrocitinib monotherapy in Investigator's Global Assessment nonresponders: improvement in signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis and quality of life.

BACKGROUND: Abrocitinib, a once-daily, oral Janus kinase 1 selective inhibitor, was shown to be an effective treatment for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in phase 2 b/3 monotherapy trials. METHODS: These analyses included data for Investigator's Global Assessment responder (clear [0] or almost clear [1] with ≥2-grade improvement) and nonresponder patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis who received abrocitinib (200 mg or 100 mg) or placebo in three abrocitinib monotherapy trials (phase 2 b, NCT02780167; two phase 3, NCT03349060/JADE MONO-1 and NCT03575871/JADE MONO-2). Outcomes measuring skin clearance, itch, and quality of life were evaluated. RESULTS: Both nonresponders (n = 548) and responders (n = 260) treated with abrocitinib had rapid and clinically meaningful improvement in skin clearance, itch, and quality of life compared with placebo. CONCLUSION: Patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis treated with abrocitinib who did not achieve an Investigator's Global Assessment 0/1 response at week 12 still experienced rapid, clinically meaningful improvements across several other validated measures of efficacy and quality of life. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV: NCT02780167, NCT03349060, NCT03575871.

Comparing abrocitinib and dupilumab in the treatment of atopic dermatitis: a plain language summary.

Atopic dermatitis (AD, also called atopic eczema) is a long-term skin disease that causes intensely itchy, red skin. Healthcare providers can prescribe medicated creams and ointments to reduce the signs and symptoms of AD. However, these treatments are not always enough to provide relief. A new medicine called abrocitinib, which is taken every day as a tablet, reduces part of the body's immune response that happens in AD. The clinical study described in this plain language summary, called JADE COMPARE, investigated how well and how safely 16 weeks of treatment with abrocitinib worked in adults with AD compared to placebo ('dummy treatment') and a medicine that is already approved for AD, called dupilumab. The study showed that abrocitinib was better than placebo in improving the signs and symptoms of AD after 16 weeks. In addition, patients who were taking abrocitinib 200 mg for 2 weeks experienced greater relief from itch than patients who were taking abrocitinib 100 mg, placebo, or dupilumab. More people who took abrocitinib 200 mg reported side effects than those taking abrocitinib 100 mg, placebo, or dupilumab, but most of these side effects were mild or moderate. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT number: NCT03720470.

Impact of Oral Abrocitinib Monotherapy on Patient-Reported Symptoms and Quality of Life in Adolescents and Adults with Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis: A Pooled Analysis of Patient-Reported Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis imparts a substantial patient burden, including itch, sleep disturbance, and decreased health-related quality of life. OBJECTIVE: This analysis evaluated changes in patient-reported outcomes of disease-specific signs/symptoms and health-related quality of life in adult and adolescent patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis treated with once-daily oral abrocitinib 200-mg or 100-mg monotherapy. METHODS: Pooled data from one phase IIb (NCT02780167) and two phase III (NCT03349060, JADE MONO-1; NCT03575871, JADE MONO-2) monotherapy trials in adult and adolescent patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis were analyzed. Patient-reported outcome assessments included: global severity, itch, and multi-item measures that assess other signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis. Additional patient-reported outcome assessments measured depression, anxiety, fatigue, disease-specific and general health-related quality of life, and work and general productivity among employed patients. RESULTS: Overall, 942 patients were included in this analysis. Improvements were observed from the first post-baseline assessment to week 12 across all patient-reported outcomes, including Patient Global Assessment (PtGA) score of 0/1 (35.5%, 19.8%, and 5.9% for 200 mg, 100 mg, and placebo, respectively), ≥ 4-point improvement in Night Time Itch Scale (NTIS; 57.0%, 42.7%, and 12.7%), change from baseline in Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM) score (- 11.4, - 8.2, and - 3.4), 1-point improvement in Pruritus and Symptoms Assessment for Atopic Dermatitis (PSAAD; 75.2%, 65.1%, and 33.5%), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (HADS) anxiety (- 2.0, - 1.7, and - 1.0) and depression (- 1.7, - 1.3, and - 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: Abrocitinib monotherapy improved disease-specific signs/symptoms and health-related quality of life across multiple domains as reported by adult and adolescent patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, complementing clinician-reported efficacy and safety outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02780167 (registered 23 May, 2016), NCT03349060 (registered 21 November, 2017), NCT03575871 (registered 3 July, 2018).

Efficacy and Safety of Abrocitinib in Combination With Topical Therapy in Adolescents With Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis: The JADE TEEN Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Dupilumab subcutaneous injection is approved for treating moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in adolescents, but there has been too little research on an efficacious systemic oral treatment with a favorable benefit-risk profile for adolescents with moderate-to-severe AD. Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of oral abrocitinib plus topical therapy in adolescents with moderate-to-severe AD. Design, Setting, and Participants: The phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study JADE TEEN was conducted in countries of the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and North America in patients aged 12 to 17 years with moderate-to-severe AD and an inadequate response to 4 consecutive weeks or longer of topical medication or a need for systemic therapy for AD. The study was conducted between February 18, 2019, and April 8, 2020. The data were analyzed after study completion. Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to receive once-daily oral abrocitinib, 200 mg or 100 mg, or placebo for 12 weeks in combination with topical therapy. Main Outcomes and Measures: Coprimary end points were achievement of an Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) response of clear (0) or almost clear (1) with improvement of 2 or more grades from baseline (IGA 0/1) and 75% or greater improvement from baseline in Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-75) response at week 12. Key secondary end points included 4-point or greater improvement in Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (PP-NRS4) at week 12. Adverse events (AEs) were monitored. Results: This study included 285 adolescents with moderate-to-severe AD (145 boys [50.9%] and 140 girls [49.1%]), of whom 160 (56.1%) were White and 94 (33.0%) were Asian; the median age was 15 years (interquartile range 13-17 years). Substantially more patients treated with abrocitinib (200 mg or 100 mg) vs placebo achieved an IGA response of 0/1 (46.2%; 41.6% vs 24.5%; P < .05 for both), EASI-75 (72.0%; 68.5% vs 41.5%; P < .05 for both), and PP-NRS4 (55.4%; 52.6% vs 29.8%; P < .01 for 200 mg vs placebo) at week 12. Adverse events were reported for 59 (62.8%), 54 (56.8%), and 50 (52.1%) patients in the 200 mg, 100 mg, and placebo groups, respectively; nausea was more common with abrocitinib, 200 mg (17 [18.1%]) and 100 mg (7 [7.4%]). Herpes-related AEs were infrequent; 1 (1.1%), 0, and 2 (2.1%) patients had serious AEs. Conclusions and Relevance: This randomized clinical trial found that oral abrocitinib combined with topical therapy was significantly more effective than placebo with topical therapy in adolescents with moderate-to-severe AD, with an acceptable safety profile. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03796676.

Integrated Safety Analysis of Abrocitinib for the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis From the Phase II and Phase III Clinical Trial Program.

BACKGROUND: Pivotal phase III studies demonstrated that abrocitinib, an oral, once-daily, JAK1-selective inhibitor, is effective treatment for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) as monotherapy and in combination with topical therapy. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term safety of abrocitinib 200 mg and 100 mg in an integrated analysis of a phase IIb study, four phase III studies, and one long-term extension study. METHODS: Two cohorts were analyzed: a placebo-controlled cohort from 12- to 16-week studies and an all-abrocitinib cohort including patients who received one or more abrocitinib doses. Adverse events (AEs) of interest and laboratory data are reported. RESULTS: Total exposure in the all-abrocitinib cohort (n = 2856) was 1614 patient-years (PY); exposure was ≥ 24 weeks in 1248 patients and ≥ 48 weeks in 606 (maximum 108 weeks). In the placebo-controlled cohort (n = 1540), dose-related AEs (200 mg, 100 mg, placebo) were nausea (14.6%, 6.1%, 2.0%), headache (7.8%, 5.9%, 3.5%), and acne (4.7%, 1.6%, 0%). Platelet count was reduced transiently in a dose-dependent manner; 2/2718 patients (200-mg group) had confirmed platelet counts of < 50 × 103/mm3 at week 4. Incidence rates (IRs) were 2.33/100PY and 2.65/100 PY for serious infection, 4.34/100PY and 2.04/100PY for herpes zoster, and 11.83/100PY and 8.73/100PY for herpes simplex in the 200-mg and 100-mg groups, respectively. IRs for nonmelanoma skin cancer, other malignancies, and major adverse cardiovascular events were < 0.5/100PY for both doses. Five venous thromboembolism events occurred (IR 0.30/100PY), all in the 200-mg group. There were three deaths due to gastric carcinoma (diagnosed at day 43), sudden death, and COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Abrocitinib, with proper patient and dose selection, has a manageable tolerability and longer-term safety profile appropriate for long-term use in patients with moderate-to-severe AD. TRIAL REGISTRIES: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02780167, NCT03349060, NCT03575871, NCT03720470, NCT03627767, NCT03422822.

Efficacy and Safety of Abrocitinib in Patients With Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Abrocitinib, an oral, once-daily Janus kinase 1 selective inhibitor, was effective and well tolerated in a phase 3 monotherapy trial of patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD). Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of abrocitinib in adolescents and adults with moderate-to-severe AD in an identically designed trial. Design, Setting, and Participants: This phase 3, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group randomized clinical trial included patients 12 years or older with a clinical diagnosis of moderate-to-severe AD for at least 1 year and inadequate response to topical medications given for at least 4 weeks within 6 months. Patients were enrolled from 115 centers in Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Poland, United Kingdom, and the United States from June 29, 2018, to August 13, 2019. Data were analyzed from September 13 to October 25, 2019. Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned (2:2:1) to receive once-daily oral abrocitinib in 200- or 100-mg doses or placebo for 12 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures: The coprimary end points were the proportion of patients achieving Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) response (ie, clear [0] or almost clear [1], with improvement of ≥2 grades) and the proportion of patients achieving at least 75% improvement in Eczema Area and Severity Index score (EASI-75) at week 12. Key secondary end points included the proportion of patients achieving a Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (PP-NRS) response (ie, improvement of ≥4 points) at week 12. Other secondary end points included the proportion of patients achieving at least 90% improvement in EASI score (EASI-90). Safety was assessed via adverse events and laboratory monitoring. Results: A total of 391 patients (229 male [58.6%]; mean [SD] age, 35.1 [15.1] years) were included in the analysis; of these, 155 received abrocitinib, 200 mg/d; 158, abrocitinib, 100 mg/d; and 78, placebo. Among patients with available data at week 12, greater proportions of patients in the 200- and 100-mg abrocitinib groups vs the placebo group achieved IGA (59 of 155 [38.1%] and 44 of 155 [28.4%] vs 7 of 77 [9.1%]; P < .001) and EASI-75 (94 of 154 [61.0%] and 69 of 155 [44.5%] vs 8 of 77 [10.4%]; P < .001), greater estimated proportions achieved PP-NRS (55.3% [95% CI, 47.2%-63.5%] and 45.2% [95% CI, 37.1%-53.3%] vs 11.5% [95% CI, 4.1%-19.0%]; P < .001), and/or greater proportions achieved EASI-90 (58 of 154 [37.7%] and 37 of 155 [23.9%] vs 3 of 77 [3.9%]) responses. Adverse events were reported for 102 patients (65.8%) in the 200-mg group, 99 (62.7%) in the 100-mg group, and 42 (53.8%) in the placebo group; serious adverse events were reported for 2 patients (1.3%) in the 200-mg group, 5 (3.2%) in the 100-mg group, and 1 (1.3%) in the placebo group. Decreases in platelet count (2 [1.3%]) and laboratory values indicating thrombocytopenia (5 [3.2%]) were reported in the 200-mg group. Conclusions and Relevance: Monotherapy with once-daily oral abrocitinib was effective and well tolerated in adolescents and adults with moderate-to-severe AD. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03575871.