Abrocitinib Effective, Tolerated for Prurigo Nodularis, Chronic Pruritus
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, June 25, 2024 -- For patients with prurigo nodularis (PN) and chronic pruritus of unknown origin (CPUO), abrocitinib, a Janus kinase 1 inhibitor, is effective and well tolerated, according to a study published online June 5 in JAMA Dermatology.
Shawn G. Kwatra, M.D., from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, and colleagues examined the efficacy and safety of 200-mg oral abrocitinib administered once daily in a phase 2, nonrandomized controlled trial involving 20 adult patients with moderate-to-severe PN or CPUO (10 with each). All 20 patients completed the 12-week treatment period, and 18 completed the four-week follow-up.
The researchers found that the Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (PP-NRS) scores decreased by 78.3 and 53.7 percent in PN and CPUO patients, respectively, by week 12. Eight of 10 patients with PN and six of 10 with CPUO achieved at least a 4-point improvement on the PP-NRS from baseline to week 12. Significant improvement in quality of life was experienced by both groups, as demonstrated by percentage change in Dermatology Life Quality Index scores (−53.2 and −49.0 percent for PN and CPUO, respectively). Acneiform eruption was the most common adverse event among patients (10 percent); there were no serious adverse events reported.
"Larger randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are needed to validate these findings, identify less common adverse effects, allow for subgroup analyses, and identify differences in systemic inflammatory markers between patients who respond to treatment and those who do not," the authors write.
One author disclosed ties to pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, which funded the trial and made and supplied the study drug.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted June 2024
Read this next
Bimekizumab Yields Meaningful Response in Hidradenitis Suppurativa
THURSDAY, May 30, 2024 -- Bimekizumab is well tolerated and produces clinically meaningful responses in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa, according to a study published...
Tattoos May Increase Risk of Malignant Lymphoma
WEDNESDAY, May 29, 2024 -- Tattoo exposure is associated with an increased risk of several malignant lymphoma subtypes, according to a study published online in the June issue...
Acrochordons May Be Marker for Metabolic Disease in Children
TUESDAY, May 21, 2024 -- In pediatric patients, acrochordons may be a marker for metabolic disease, according to a study published online April 29 in Pediatric...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.