Derm In The News: July 21-27 – Dermatology Times

Morningstar: LEO Pharma Receives Positive CHMP Opinion of Anzupgo (delgocitinib cream) for the Treatment of Adults with Moderate to Severe Chronic Hand Eczema (CHE)

LEO Pharma has received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agencys Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use for delgocitinib cream (Anzupgo), a topical treatment for adults with moderate to severe chronic hand eczema. If approved, delgocitinib cream will be the first specific topical treatment for adults with CHE who do not respond to or cannot use topical corticosteroids. The positive opinion is supported by data from the DELTA phase 3 trials, which demonstrated significant efficacy and safety with delgocitinib cream compared to a vehicle control.

In Sudbury, Ontario, there is a significant shortage of dermatologists, leading to wait times of up to 6 months for appointments. This shortage has driven more individuals to use online platforms for skin care. Clinicians report seeing patients from various regions including Timmins and Ottawa due to the scarcity of local specialists, emphasizing that Canada's dermatology services are insufficient, with wait times often exceeding 1 year and up to 2 years in some regions.

The US FDA approved deuruxolitinib (Leqselvi), an oral Janus kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of adults with severe alopecia areata. Deuruxolitinib, taken as 8 mg tablets twice daily, demonstrated significant efficacy in 2 phase 3 trials (THRIVE-AA1 and THRIVE-AA2), which included 1,220 patients. By 24 weeks, over 30% of patients achieved 80% or more scalp hair coverage, and up to 25% had nearly complete hair restoration (90% coverage).

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Earlier this summer, Penn State Health conducted a sun safety educational assembly at an elementary school, aiming to instill sun protection habits in third and fourth graders. During the assembly, Penn State Health staff, including dermatology professionals, emphasized the importance of regular sunscreen application. The initiative is part of a broader effort by Penn State Dermatology to address skin cancer prevention. According to their 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment, Lebanon, the city the elementary school is local to, has a high incidence of cancer. The team measures the event's effectiveness through pre- and post-tests administered to students and plans to evaluate long-term retention of sun safety practices.

Researchers at Northwestern Medicine have identified increased immune cell activity in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) tumors, which could be used to predict patient responses to treatment and guide the development of new targeted therapies. The study, published in Cancer Discovery, highlights the potential of using immune cell activity as a biomarker to improve treatment outcomes for MCC patients. The study found that specialized CD8 T-cells and V-delta-1-gamma-delta T-cells are key players in the anti-tumor immune response. These findings suggest that enhancing these immune cell activities could improve responses to existing therapies or lead to the development of new treatment strategies.

Have you seen any dermatology headlines this week that we may have missed? Share with us by emailing our team atDTEditor@mmhgroup.com.

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Derm In The News: July 21-27 - Dermatology Times