TJ Chao, MPAS, PA-C

Panelists discuss how biologic therapy management requires strategic monitoring with initial assessment at 4 to 12 weeks, defining nonresponse at 12 to 16 weeks, addressing adherence before considering alternatives such as switching biologics with different mechanisms or transitioning to JAK inhibitors based on comorbidities, coverage, administration preferences, and safety considerations—emphasizing that the expanding therapeutic landscape enables personalized approaches that have transformed expectations for moderate to severe atopic dermatitis.

Panelists discuss how adherence to biologic therapy is fundamental to achieving optimal outcomes in atopic dermatitis, with consistent administration essential for maintaining therapeutic levels and preventing disease rebound. Also vital are clear communication about injection schedules, development of practical reminder systems (calendar alerts, smartphone apps, medication journals), consideration of dosing frequency preferences, involvement of supportive family members, incorporation into existing routines, the addressing of injection anxiety through proper training and technique refinement, and regular follow-up to troubleshoot barriers—all while emphasizing the connection between adherence and sustained disease control to maintain patient motivation through the treatment journey.

Panelists discuss how selecting a biologic for atopic dermatitis involves comprehensive assessment of patient-specific factors including age (with dupilumab's broader approval for patients as young as 6 months vs other biologics approved only for those aged 12 years or older), weight (affecting dosing considerations), disease phenotype, symptom predominance (especially itch severity for nemolizumab consideration), comorbidities (including asthma, food allergies, and ocular conditions), prior treatment responses, insurance coverage, administration preferences, anticipated adherence, treatment goals, and previous biologic experience—with biologic-naive patients typically receiving broader consideration, whereas those with prior biologic exposure require careful evaluation of previous response patterns, reasons for discontinuation, and strategic selection of agents with different mechanisms to potentially overcome therapeutic plateaus.

Panelists discuss how biologics for atopic dermatitis demonstrate excellent safety profiles with primarily mild, manageable adverse effects such as injection site reactions, conjunctivitis (particularly with dupilumab), mild infections, and headaches. However, they note that successful management requires transparent discussions with patients about realistic treatment expectations (typically emphasizing gradual improvement rather than immediate resolution), systematic monitoring protocols combining objective assessments (EASI/BSA/IGA) with patient-reported outcomes (itch severity, sleep quality, quality-of-life measures), appropriate timing of evaluation intervals, laboratory monitoring when indicated, and clear communication about what constitutes a meaningful response vs the need to consider therapeutic adjustments.

Panelists discuss how decisions regarding biologic monotherapy vs combination with topicals in atopic dermatitis management are individually tailored based on disease severity, distribution, prior topical response, treatment burden, patient preference, and insurance considerations. Most practitioners implement a gradual transition that maintains topicals during biologic initiation, tapering as systemic control improves while still reserving topicals for breakthrough flares, sensitive areas, or maintenance of partially responsive sites, ultimately aiming to minimize steroid exposure while maximizing quality of life and treatment satisfaction.

Panelists discuss how pivotal clinical trials for atopic dermatitis biologics demonstrate both rapid and durable efficacy as monotherapy, with 3 agents—dupilumab (SOLO 1/2), lebrikizumab (ADvocate 1/2), and tralokinumab (ECZTRA 1/2)—achieving significantly higher rates of clear/almost clear skin (IGA 0/1) at week 16 vs placebo; early itch improvement by week 2; and, importantly, sustained response among initial responders at week 52, with maintenance rates varying across therapies: 50% to 70.6% for dupilumab at week 36, 74% for lebrikizumab at week 52, and 39% to 59% for tralokinumab at week 52 (statistically significant only in ECZTRA 2).

Panelists discuss how the current biologic landscape for atopic dermatitis includes 4 distinct agents with complementary mechanisms: dupilumab targeting IL-4 and IL-13 pathways to broadly inhibit type 2 inflammation, lebrikizumab and tralokinumab both selectively blocking IL-13 to potentially offer similar efficacy with refined targeting, and nemolizumab uniquely addressing the IL-31 “itch cytokine” pathway—each representing different strategic approaches to modulating the complex immunopathology of the disease with specific advantages for different patient phenotypes.

Panelists discuss how the approval of dupilumab and subsequent biologics for moderate to severe atopic dermatitis has fundamentally transformed the treatment landscape by providing targeted, effective options with favorable safety profiles that address underlying disease pathways, shifting from symptomatic management toward long-term disease control, raising expectations for treatment outcomes, reducing reliance on systemic immunosuppressants, enabling personalized therapy based on specific inflammatory pathways, and establishing new standards for efficacy that emphasize not just skin clearance but also rapid itch relief and quality-of-life improvement.

Panelists discuss how systemic treatments for moderate to severe atopic dermatitis offer significant advantages over topicals, including more comprehensive disease control, improved adherence, reduced treatment burden, greater efficacy for widespread disease, ability to address immunological drivers of inflammation, prevention of flares, management of both cutaneous and extracutaneous manifestations, reduced corticosteroid exposure, and potential modification of disease trajectory—particularly benefiting patients with extensive involvement, recalcitrant disease, or whose quality of life has been highly affected.

Panelists discuss how establishing realistic treatment goals for patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis requires collaborative conversations addressing itch reduction, sleep improvement, and quality-of-life enhancement, whereas decisions to initiate systemic therapy are driven by inadequate response to optimized topical regimens, disease impact on daily functioning, recurrent flares, significant psychological burden, treatment adherence challenges, and the recognition that early intervention may prevent disease progression and comorbidities.

Panelists discuss how atopic dermatitis severity assessment involves evaluating disease extent, lesion intensity, location, symptom burden, and quality-of-life impact—with mild cases showing limited, occasionally pruritic patches; moderate cases featuring more widespread, persistent symptoms affecting daily activities; and severe cases presenting with extensive, intensely pruritic lesions causing significant sleep disturbance and emotional distress.

Expert dermatology physician assistants share how to select the appropriate therapy for your patient with plaque psoriasis in an expanding treatment landscape.

TJ Chao and Kristine Kucera, PA’s share their insights into the patient experience with oral systemic agents for plaque psoriasis.

Physician assistants TJ Chao and Kristine Kucera share their knowledge on which patients make good candidates for TYK2 inhibitors.

TJ Chao and Kristine Kucera, PA’s discuss the changing treatment algorithms of plaque psoriasis with the arrival of novel agents such as the TYK2 inhibitors.

Advances practice providers in dermatology discuss the safety data on the novel TYK2 inhibitor deucravacitnib.

Dermatology physician assistants review the short- and long-term clinical trial data on deucravacitinib.

Dermatology physician assistants review the laboratory and monitoring requirements for TYK2 inhibitors deucravacitinib.

TJ Chao and Kristine Kucera, PA’s go into dept of the recent developments in the systemic oral space of plaque psoriasis.

Physician assistants TJ Chao and Kristine Kucera discuss how the understanding of plaque psoriasis has changed over time and is now considered a systemic disease.

Dermatology physician assistants are talking about the evolving role of their profession in taking care of patients with plaque psoriasis.

Advances practice providers TJ Chao, MPAS, PA-C and Kristine Kucera, PA-C, MPAS, DHS discuss the recent development in the treatment landscape of plaque psoriasis.

This publication was developed independently by MJH Life Sciences Global Medical Affairs. Support for the thought leaders meeting and the publication was provided by Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc; The Bristol Myers Squibb Company; Janssen Global Services, LLC; and UCB, Inc.