Evaluation of delgocitinib for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic hand eczema in adults

INTRODUCTION Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is a frequent inflammatory skin disorder associated with a substantial psychosocial and economic burden. Its prevalence ranges from 4.7% up to 10%. The therapeutic management of CHE remains challenging. Long-term use of topical corticosteroids, which are used as first-line therapy, can be associated with local side effects and a negative impact on the skin barrier. Alitretinoin, a vitamin A derivate licensed as a systemic treatment option in Europe, has demonstrated efficacy but is accompanied by systemic adverse effects. Delgocitinib is a novel topical anti-inflammatory pan-janus kinase inhibitor with negligible systemic exposure and a reduced risk of side effects. It has shown clinical efficacy in double blind placebo-controlled trials and most recently superiority against alitretinoin in terms of both, efficacy and safety.AREAS COVERED This review summarizes the data on delgocitinib as a topical treatment for CHE including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy and safety.EXPERT OPINION Delgocitinib is a topical pan-janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor and represents a novel treatment option for CHE with a favorable safety and tolerability profile. Further data on long-term use and real-world effectiveness are still needed.