Pediatric Eczema Treatment Shows Promise

As-needed ruxolitinib cream offers long-term control for young patients

New data presented at the Society for Pediatric Dermatology Annual Meeting indicates that topical ruxolitinib cream can provide sustained disease management for children aged 2 to 11 with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (AD).

Sustained Efficacy in Young Children

The TRuE-AD3 study showcased that children using ruxolitinib cream, applied as needed, experienced significant improvements in their condition. Both 0.75% and 1.5% concentrations of the cream demonstrated good tolerability over a 52-week period, even in those with more widespread eczema at the study’s outset.

One poster detailed how children with moderate AD, identified by an Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) score of 3 or at least 10% affected body surface area (BSA), achieved considerable skin clearance. At 52 weeks, 71.4% to 74.6% of these participants attained clear or almost clear skin (IGA 0/1). Mean affected BSA also reduced substantially, from baseline levels to between 2.0% and 2.3%.

Meaningful Time Off Treatment Achieved

A separate analysis focused on the benefit of reduced treatment burden. Following an initial 8-week treatment phase, patients continued with as-needed ruxolitinib cream. For those who used the cream during this extended period, affected BSA dropped from a baseline of 9.9%-11.1% to just 1.9%-2.0% by week 52.

Impressively, 80.7% (0.75% cream) and 91.2% (1.5% cream) of patients achieved clear or almost clear skin at least once during the as-needed phase. These positive scores were maintained for a significant portion of the treatment duration, with 60.0% and 69.0% of visits, respectively, showing maintained clear skin.

Furthermore, the median time off treatment due to lesion clearance was substantial, reaching 136 days for the 0.75% group and 151 days for the 1.5% group. This represents approximately half of the extended treatment period, underscoring the cream’s ability to allow for treatment-free intervals.

Favorable Safety Profile Confirmed

Across both analyses, the topical Janus kinase inhibitor was well-tolerated by the young participants. No serious adverse events directly linked to the treatment were reported, reinforcing its safety for long-term use in children with AD. The findings suggest ruxolitinib cream offers a viable option for controlling pediatric eczema while minimizing treatment frequency.

The long-term effectiveness and safety data support the use of ruxolitinib cream as a flexible monotherapy for young patients. Its capacity to achieve substantial skin clearance, prolong treatment-free periods, and maintain a positive safety profile makes it a promising advancement in pediatric dermatology.

Globally, over 300 million children suffer from eczema, a chronic inflammatory skin condition that can significantly impact quality of life (WHO, 2024).