Recent approvals from the Food and Drug Management are poised to broaden treatment avenues for individuals with skin of color experiencing chronic inflammatory skin conditions. In June 2025, the FDA expanded the approved uses of dupilumab to include bullous pemphigoid, and earlier in the year, granted approval for its use in chronic spontaneous urticaria – representing the first new systemic approval in that area in a decade.Thes advancements offer potential relief for patient populations frequently enough underrepresented in dermatological research and clinical trials.
These approvals are particularly critically important given the disparities in dermatological care and outcomes experienced by people of color. Historically, skin conditions can present differently on darker skin tones, leading to delayed or inaccurate diagnoses. Furthermore, clinical trials have frequently lacked diverse representation, resulting in a limited understanding of how treatments perform across different ethnicities. The expanded availability of dupilumab aims to address these gaps by providing clinicians with additional tools to effectively manage these conditions in a wider range of patients.
Dupilumab, initially approved for atopic dermatitis, functions by specifically blocking the signaling pathways of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, key drivers of type 2 inflammation. The June 20, 2025, FDA expansion allows its use in adults with bullous pemphigoid, a rare autoimmune blistering disease. Prior to this, treatment options were largely limited to systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, which carry significant side effects.
Earlier this year, the FDA also approved dupilumab for chronic spontaneous urticaria, a condition characterized by persistent hives and swelling. This approval marks the first new systemic therapy for this condition in ten years, offering a novel option for patients who do not respond adequately to antihistamines.
Alongside these biologic approvals,updated guidelines for atopic dermatitis management were published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2025. The focused update, authored by Davis DMR, Frazer-Green L, Alikhan A, et al., provides clinicians with evidence-based recommendations for treating adults with atopic dermatitis (doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2025.05.1386). These guidelines emphasize a comprehensive approach to care, incorporating both topical and systemic therapies, and recognizing the importance of addressing individual patient needs.
