Study finds long-term eczema treatment benefits patients with delayed response

New research from the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai reveals that patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (eczema) who did not initially respond to biologic treatment may still achieve significant clinical improvements with continued therapy.

The findings, published in the latest issue of Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, highlight the efficacy of extended lebrikizumab treatment up to 52 weeks and pave the way for more personalized, patient-centered approaches to managing this chronic skin condition.

Lebrikizumab is designed to treat moderate-to-severe eczema by targeting a key source of inflammation in the body. It works by blocking interleukin-13 (IL-13), a protein that plays a central role in the itching, redness, and skin damage seen in atopic dermatitis.

“This is a significant breakthrough because it shows that people who do not respond to lebrikizumab treatment right away should not give up,” says lead author Emma Guttman-Yassky, MD, Ph.D., Waldman Professor and Chair of the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

“Initial non-response at 16 weeks does not mean treatment failure. By sticking with treatment longer (52 weeks), most patients saw their eczema improve significantly.”

Researchers analyzed data from two international clinical trials. At 16 weeks, 38.1% of lebrikizumab-treated patients failed to meet strict trial criteria for response. However, 58.1% had already achieved at least a 50% improvement in their Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) scores. By 52 weeks, 75.5% had reached a 75% improvement (EASI 75), 44.2% had achieved a 90% improvement (EASI 90), and 66.4% reported a significant reduction in itching.

“This research supports a more personalized approach to care,” Dr. Guttman-Yassky says. “It offers new hope for patients with difficult-to-treat eczema and may help guide treatment decisions in clinical practice.”

New research from the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai reveals that patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (eczema) who did not initially respond to biologic treatment may still achieve significant clinical improvements with continued therapy.

The findings, published in the latest issue of Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, highlight the efficacy of extended lebrikizumab treatment up to 52 weeks and pave the way for more personalized, patient-centered approaches to managing this chronic skin condition.

Lebrikizumab is designed to treat moderate-to-severe eczema by targeting a key source of inflammation in the body. It works by blocking interleukin-13 (IL-13), a protein that plays a central role in the itching, redness, and skin damage seen in atopic dermatitis.

“This is a significant breakthrough because it shows that people who do not respond to lebrikizumab treatment right away should not give up,” says lead author Emma Guttman-Yassky, MD, Ph.D., Waldman Professor and Chair of the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

“Initial non-response at 16 weeks does not mean treatment failure. By sticking with treatment longer (52 weeks), most patients saw their eczema improve significantly.”

Researchers analyzed data from two international clinical trials. At 16 weeks, 38.1% of lebrikizumab-treated patients failed to meet strict trial criteria for response. However, 58.1% had already achieved at least a 50% improvement in their Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) scores. By 52 weeks, 75.5% had reached a 75% improvement (EASI 75), 44.2% had achieved a 90% improvement (EASI 90), and 66.4% reported a significant reduction in itching.

“This research supports a more personalized approach to care,” Dr. Guttman-Yassky says. “It offers new hope for patients with difficult-to-treat eczema and may help guide treatment decisions in clinical practice.”