Abrocitinib may improve itch and quality of life in patients with itch‐dominant atopic dermatitis

Background: Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) exhibit heterogeneous clinical phenotypes, reflecting different combinations of itch and lesional severity. AD with severe itch but clear-moderate lesions, also known as itch-dominant AD, is a common clinical phenotype. Objectives: To evaluate abrocitinib efficacy in patients with moderate-to-severe AD who have itch-dominant AD. Methods: This post hoc analysis includes pooled data from clinical trials of patients with moderate-to-severe AD receiving abrocitinib (100 or 200 mg) as monotherapy (phase 2b; phase 3 JADE MONO-1 and JADE MONO-2) or in combination with topical therapy (phase 3 JADE COMPARE). Data from the ongoing long-term JADE EXTEND trial (data cutoff April 2020) were also evaluated. Itch-dominant AD was defined as baseline Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (PP-NRS) score of 7−10 and Investigator's Global Assessment of 0−3 or Eczema Area and Severity Index of 0‒21. Assessments included a ≥4-point improvement in PP-NRS (PP-NRS4), PP-NRS score of 0 (no itch) or 1 (little itch) in patients with PP-NRS score ≥2 at baseline, ≥4-point improvement from baseline in Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM-4), Patient Global Assessment (PtGA) of clear or almost clear, and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score of 0 or 1 (no impact or little impact of AD on quality of life [QoL]). Results: In the pooled monotherapy trials, 37% of patients had itch-dominant AD at baseline. As early as Week 2, more patients with itch-dominant AD achieved PP-NRS4 with abrocitinib 100 mg (35%) and abrocitinib 200 mg (57%) versus placebo (7%); 6% and 22% versus 0%, respectively, achieved PP-NRS 0/1. More patients achieved a PtGA of clear/almost clear at Week 12 with abrocitinib 100 mg (28%) and abrocitinib 200 mg (45%) than placebo (9%). Additionally, abrocitinib led to clinically meaningful improvements in POEM and DLQI. Most patients with itch-dominant AD experienced itch improvement over time with abrocitinib monotherapy or with concomitant topical therapy; 86%–87% and 62%–67% of patients had no itch-moderate itch and clear-moderate lesions by weeks 24 and 48, respectively. Conclusions: Abrocitinib is highly efficacious in patients with itch-dominant AD, demonstrating rapid, deep, and sustained improvements in itch and clinically meaningful improvements in patients' QoL. Trial Registration Numbers: NCT02780167; NCT03349060; NCT03575871; NCT03720470; NCT03422822.