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A small molecule IL-17A inhibitor, izokibep has additionally shown efficacy in treating psoriatic arthritis—and will now be reviewed in a phase 3 HS trial.

Izokibep Potentially Clears Hidradenitis Suppurativa Lesions at 12 Weeks

Pediatric dermatologist Mercedes Gonzalez, MD, discusses the new phase 3 B-SIMPLE data supporting berdazimer gel as the first potential molluscum treatment.

Berdazimer Gel Provides Complete Molluscum Clearance in 30% of Patients in 12 Weeks

Tim Smith joined the MJH Life Sciences team as an assistant editor for HCPLive in August 2022. He graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in political science, working in multimedia journalism as a staff writer prior to joining MJH. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, watching TV, listening to podcasts, and rock climbing. You can contact him at 

Kwatra spoke about his team’s research into nemolizumab for prurigo nodularis in the OLYMPIA 2 trial, including the data and its implications for the future.

Shawn Kwatra, MD: Trial Data for Nemolizumab Monotherapy on Prurigo Nodularis

New data indicates that an oral TYK2 inhibitor known as NDI-034858 showed strong results for psoriasis patients in a recent phase 2b trial.


Oral TYK2 Inhibitor Led to Significant Skin Clearance Improvement in Psoriasis

The dermatology condition center is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and expert insights on dermatology. Read more at HCPLive.

Dermatology | Medical News & Expert Insight | HCPLive

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clinical page is a resource for content on every specialty, disease, and topic available on our medical news site.

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The HCPLive dermatology page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on skin disease. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for dermatologic conditions, and more.

In a field laden with biologic research breakthroughs and emerging, practice-altering systemic therapies, one of dermatology’s most dominant headlines this last year was not regarding with what products we may use to treat 

, but in how early may we begin to do so.

Earlier this year, the US Food and Drug Administration 

, for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in children as young as 6 months to 5 years old. The latest indication for the Sanofi-Regeneron interleukin 4 and 13 (IL-4; IL-13) inhibitor not only completes the drug’s patient-age spectrum of availability; it marks the first time that infants and toddlers could be eligible to treat early-onset eczema with any biologic.

Of course, novel indications require clear roadmaps to care—and there’s many other evolving factors that play into treating pediatric eczema.

, we return to a prior conversation with researcher and dermatologist Lawrence Eichenfield, MD, chief of pediatric and adolescent dermatology at the University of California, San Diego.

 on a number of pediatric atopic dermatitis topics from 2022, including the duplimuab approval, the state of modern care strategies, best screening practices, biomarker research, and infant-stage preventive practices.

Lawrence Eichenfield, MD, reviews major drug approvals and advancement of screening and prevention strategies for the youngest patients with atopic dermatitis.


Advances in Pediatric Eczema Highlight 2022

Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration approved tapinarof cream, 1% (VTAMA) for the treatment of plaque psoriasis of all severities in adult patients, ushering in the first and only FDA-approved steroid-free topical medication in its class.

Remarkably, it had been 25 years since a novel chemical entity had been introduced into psoriasis care from a brand-new mechanism of action, and from the data gathered from the phase 3 PSOARING 1 and 2 trials as well as the long term extension (LTE) study, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Pivotal phase 3 data showed treatment with tapinarof cream led to statistically significant improvements in Physician Global Assessment (PGA) score of “clear” or “almost clear” with a minimum 2-grade improvement compared with vehicle treatment from baseline to week 12.

Better yet, the median duration of clear or almost clear skin was approximately 4 months after cessation of treatment with tapinarof cream, which was detailed in the phase 3 LTE study for patients who achieved clear skin (PGA 0) during PSOARING 1 or 2.

“I think the patients that participated and had exposure to the product for up to a year, were indicating that to us that (tapinarof cream) was easy to use, it was extremely well tolerated, it had remarkable impact on their disease, and the fact that they can discontinue therapy for an extended period of time is absolutely incredible,” said Philip Brown, MD, JD, Chief Medical Officer at Dermavant Sciences.

For this episode of DocTalk, Brown and Chief Executive Officer Todd Zavodnick joined the program to speak to the implications of the FDA decision, and how tapinarof cream is set to revolutionize psoriasis management.

“It is unheard of in a topical medicine; when you talk about remittance and staying clear for that time, you're always talking about injectable medicine,” Zavodnick said. “And we're talking about a topical, that's going to allow cost control within a category and the ability to move from steroids to nonsteroidals. So, to us it's extremely exciting.”

Though great strides in psoriatic care have been made in the biologic and systemic space, both Zavodnick and Brown are hopeful that the advancements made with tapinarof cream will usher in a new wave of chemical entities that will improve patient’s live in the psoriasis space and beyond.

“I'm really proud and hopeful of what we're going to do, and how many thousands and tens of thousands of people's lives we will change positively through this experience,” Brown said. “And equally important, I hope it serves as a stimulus or an illustration to industry to be more creative in the way they're thinking about topical products and how we serve patient’s needs.”

Dr. Brown and Mr. Zavodnick speak on the first and only FDA-approved steroid-free topical medication in its class approved for psoriasis, and the data that bolstered this approval.

How Tapinarof Cream 1% is Set to Revolutionize Psoriasis Care 

 host Brad Glick, DO, invited Brett King, MD, PhD, Yale School of Medicine, to the program to discuss an emerging class of dermatology therapy known as Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors.

At the time, small molecule drugs such as upadacitinib (Rinvoq) were approved for the treatment of conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis.

Since then, updacacitinib and abrocitinib (Cibinqo) have been approved for use in patients with atopic dermatitis, a skin condition that affects up to 7.3% of adults in the United States alone.

Janus kinase inhibitors modulate the activity of multiple cytokine drivers of atopic dermatitis, and are supported by a variety of positive clinical trial results.

 to provide insight into the role JAK inhibitors play in the ever-growing armamentarium against atopic dermatitis.

King noted that many of the conversations regarding JAK inhibitors relate to the prescribing information of these therapies.

Most JAK inhibitor treatments are recommended for adults with refractory moderate to severe atopic dermatitis whose disease is not adequately controlled by other systemic drug products such as dupilumab.

“Because dupilumab is only rarely inadvisable, if we follow the prescribing information for the oral JAK inhibitors than in the majority of patients their use will be in patients with an inadequate response to dupilumab,” King said. “Of course, we are not robots, and we need to use our better judgment when considering treatment for any particular patient. But I think the prescribing information will prevail in the majority of cases.”

While dupilumab failure is not common in patients with atopic dermatitis, King noted that many patients still need better disease control than what they are getting from the biologic. As such, he considered JAK inhibitors to be “hugely important” in managing skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis.

“Dupilumab revolutionized AD, and so we sort of almost this kind of blind allegiance to it now, and we insist that our patients are doing well, but not everybody does,” he noted. “And now that we have abrocitinib and upadacitinib, the patients who do not have adequate disease control have treatment options. Just as dupilumab was revolutionary to AD, so will be the JAK inhibitors.”

For patients who do not respond to dupilumab, King conducts assessments including the Investigators Global Assessment (IGA), and the pruritis numerical rating scale to determine the severity of their disease and how they might benefit from certain JAK therapies.

He added that reasons for treatment failure are often much more nuanced than would be expected. As such, he recommended that providers utilize these tools to determine an adequate treatment option.

“Using these simple tools, the VIGA, the BSA dermatitis and pruritis NRS, I think that we can begin to sort out adequate response to treatment,” King said. “Of course, the patient's input is going to be critical in the determination of adequate control as well, and ultimately, I just think that with more and more treatments to offer patients, we will strive more and more for near complete remission of both dermatitis and pruritis, that should be our goal.”

Dr. Brett King returns to discuss the impact of JAK inhibitors in the management of atopic dermatitis.

How JAK Inhibitors Revolutionized Dermatology Care

Dermatologists have less confidence making a psoriasis diagnosis in Black patients than they do White patients, according to new late-breaking session findings presented at the 

American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) 2022 Annual Meeting

An assessment of skin biopsy rates, stratified by patient-reported race, by a team of University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine investigators showed that psoriasis diagnostic uncertainty is more common among Black patients than White patients.

The findings complement previous survey-based assessments by Perelman investigators suggesting that dermatologists and specialists in dermatology express less confidence in diagnosing chronic skin disease in patients with darker skin color. What’s more, they highlight the significant disparities in treatment initiation and clinical outcomes among differing races of patients with psoriasis.

In a special episode of DocTalk during AAD 2022, study investigators Fahad Ahmed, a medical student at Perelman, and Junko Takeshita, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology, joined to discuss their research and the history of interpreted disparities in chronic skin disease management.

“In short, there’s not a ton of literature on this topic, and it’s growing rapidly,” Takeshita said. “The motivation behind this study was that we had found that there are racial and ethnic disparities in burden of disease…and there are healthcare utilization disparities…and we found racial disparities in treatment for psoriasis.”

While acknowledging that patient-reported race may be an “imperfect proxy” of skin color, Takeshita noted that this assessment of real-world biopsy rates highlights how prevalent the issue of diagnostic uncertainty by race is in dermatology.

The team also discussed matters of improving baseline dermatology diagnosis education at the medical school level.

“There’s been this interest that’s been gained in representing skin of color in educational resources,” Ahmed said. “There’s been a focus on representing these conditions in various skin tones. It seems as though on these tests that we are taking…we feel that just by being exposed to this, we are making great headway on the issue.”

Listen to the full podcast episode above.

American Academy of Dermatology

A Perelman School of Medicine assessment of biopsy rates support previous findings showing that dermatologists are less confident making psoriasis diagnoses in patients with darker skin color.

Dermatologists Diagnose Psoriasis Less Frequently in Black Patients

The challenges of dermatological diseases have long been a source of concern, especially as they relate to pediatric, school-aged children.

Though a myriad of studies and treatment strategies exist in the realm of pediatric dermatology, the ways in which nurses and caregivers could integrate them into the classroom have been unsure.

Recently, the Society for Pediatric Dermatology created a series of informative 

 for use by nurses and educators in school settings titled “Skin Conditions in Students”.

In an interview with HCPLive, Arianna Yanes, MD, a PGY-3 Dermatology Resident, University of Pennsylvania and member of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology, spoke of the resources that could be found in all 7 of the online handouts, which focused on skin conditions including alopecia areata, 

, epidermolysis bullosa, ichthyosis, psoriasis, Sturge-Weber Syndrome, and 

“Skin disease is unique in that others can see it and others can make assumptions and judgments and treat people differently as a result,” Yanes said. “So, for that reason, I think that it's very critical for the teachers and the peers to have an understanding of how to help these students and how to be kind to these students.”

All 7 skin conditions handouts benefit from the same streamlined design and feature an overview of the individual disease as well as responses to questions that teachers or nurses might have.

Sources and additional resources are linked at the bottom of each handout, which provides caregivers with a generous amount of information and management strategies for each condition.

“I think the overall goal is to be comfortable talking about these things, and to help break down some of the stigmas because the more we learn about it and the more we understand, the less we fear and the fewer assumptions we make,” Yanes said.

Yanes encourage nurses and caregivers to use these handouts as a jumping point for a larger, yet nuanced, conversation regarding pediatric skin conditions. 

To hear more from Dr. Yanes on the effectiveness of the “Skin Conditions in Students” handouts, play the latest DocTalk podcast episode above.

Dr. Arianna Yanes provides insights into 7 new handouts developed by the Society for Pediatric Dermatology and how they aid nurses and teachers in creating a more inclusive setting for children with skin conditions





Arianna Yanes, MD: Detailing the “Skin Conditions in Students” Handouts

Vitiligo, much like other inflammatory skin disorders such as alopecia areata and atopic dermatitis, is a complex condition with various physical and psychological burdens, affecting 1% to 2% of the global population.

For roughly 15 years, John E. Harris, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Dermatology, Founding Director, Vitiligo Clinic and Research Center, has been intensely studying the pathogenesis of vitiligo, as well as potential treatments.

Harris initially studied type 1 diabetes when he was a student, but an encounter with a patient with vitiligo inspired him to become a dermatologist. In time, he became one of the most prominent vitiligo experts, whose skills are used daily at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) in Worcester, MA.

In this interview with Dr. Brad Glick, Harris provided insight into his decades of research on inflammatory skin disorder including vitiligo and alopecia areata. He also offered an in-depth analysis on the most recent data surrounding the conditions, and promising new therapies involving topical steroids, JAK inhibitors and more.

In this episode of Derm Discussions, vitiligo expert John Harris, MD, PhD, discusses new tactics and therapeutic options in treating inflammatory skin disorders like vitiligo, alopecia areata, and atopic dermatitis.

John E. Harris, MD, PhD: The Current State of Vitiligo and Alopecia Areata Research

While these small molecule drugs have seen approvals in other domains—such as tofacitinib (Xeljanz) and upadacitinib (Rinvoq) for rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis—they have yet to make full headway into the dermatology space.

As of now, no drug has been approved for any single dermatologic condition. Currently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are reviewing applications for a variety JAK inhibitors—namely baricitinib, abrocitinib, upadacitinib, and ruxolitinib cream for the treatment of atopic dermatitis—but the agency has

While safety concerns should not be overlooked or taken lightly, the drug class has demonstrated promising efficacy in patients suffering from dermatologic conditions, including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, alopecia areata, and vitiligo.

Even more, the safety profile of JAK inhibitors must be understood in the context of previous dermatology- and non-dermatology-related clinical trials—a fact that Brett King, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, stressed in this episode of 

King explained how JAK inhibitors work, emphasizing their potential place inside a dermatologist’s treatment arsenal.

He compared JAKs with biologic agents, like dupilumab, and speculated on the implications the addition of a drug class would have on diagnostic and prescribing strategies, particularly for atopic dermatitis. 

Both Glick and King expressed forward-looking, optimistic sentiments for the future while remaining grounded in the available evidence for a drug class that has the potential to revolutionize dermatologic care.

On the latest Derm Discussions, Brett King, MD, PhD, joins Brad Glick, DO, to discuss the potential of the JAK inhibitor class for dermatology. 

Brett King, MD, PhD: The Promise of Janus Kinase Inhibitors

Climate change is an issue of public health concern that has and will continue to have far-reaching consequences. Human activities and emissions have led to the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and, as a result, a marked elevation in global temperatures.

Over time, these increased temperatures will lead to transformations of climates across the world, thus disrupting ecosystems and potentially affecting individual and societal quality of life. Therefore, the urgency of the situation falls on everyone, particularly healthcare providers—regardless of specialty.

 Misha Rosenbach, MD, of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, noted, the climate change discussion is relevant for the field of dermatology. In fact, the dermatologic health of patients may be directly and indirectly impacted by these issues in question.

 Brad Glick, DO, spoke with Rosenbach about the speciality's relationship to the overall global health.

“There are a number of places you can point to and say, ‘does this directly affect dermatologists?’ if it’s things around the globe,” said Rosenbach. “We see with COVID that we’re all citizens of the same planet, and this is the only planet.”

They highlighted the urgency of having this discussion, the role of the dermatologist in this larger conversation, and how patient care and experiences may be impacted by climate change.

Rosenbach talked about collective and individual mitigation strategies aimed at reducing humanity’s overall carbon footprint.

Misha Rosenbach, MD, discusses how rising temperatures and climate change, issues of public health concern, are relevant to the field of dermatology. 

Intersections Between Climate Change and Dermatology

 Brad Glick, DO, brought on cosmetic dermatologist Valerie Callender, MD, to discuss practices in cosmetic dermatology. The conversation centered on Callender’s practice, the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the most frequent procedures performed over these past months.

For this episode, Glick continues this robust discussion on trends and technologies in cosmetic dermatology—this time gauging the experiences and perspective of board-certified dermatologist Rebecca Kazin, MD, Director of Clinical Research of Icon Dermatology and Aesthetics. 

Kazin, an experienced injector and trainer, detailed her own cosmetic practices, breaking down the procedures that are most common for her. She spoke in great length on the use of dermal fillers, including differences in injectables, best application practices, and ways to ensure optimal patient satisfaction.

Glick and Kazin also touched on approaches to related procedures, such as skin tightening, cryolipolysis, and micro-needling, thus highlighting the nuances in care, which methods are most effective, and how to navigate the patient-doctor dialgoue. 

The conversation spotlighted a hair product that Kazin developed with the intention of offering an over-the-counter hydrocortisone washout for dry scalp and related conditions. She offered some thoughts on its cosmetic and dermatologic potential and described its journey from inception to marketing.

on iTunes and Spotify to stay up-to-date on all the latest discussions with Brad Glick, DO.

Rebecca Kazin, MD, offers some insight into her cosmetic dermatology practices, including a new hair product that she developed.

Rebecca Kazin, MD: Cosmetic Dermatology Trends, Technologies, and Practices

 pandemic has forced changes and adaptations within 

. At the surface level, physicians have had to shift to telemedicine and determine which areas within their own practice continue to be viable.

Patients have faced postponement or cancellations (voluntary or not) of consultations and procedures.

In spite of this reality, dermatological care—and the healthcare industry at large—has continued serving and meeting patient needs to the best of their ability.

Furthermore, with a nationwide and global vaccination campaign fully underway, procedures and care practices that have been placed on halt are likely to resume for many clinicians.

Of course, this is a story well-known and often told. 

And yet, how might this past year have looked for a cosmetic dermatologist?

Brad Glick, DO, FAAD, sought this perspective in the latest episode of 

He sat down with Valerie Callender, MD, an internationally recognized dermatologist based in Genn Dale, Maryland, to talk with her about the challenges and shifts within her practice over this past year.

Callender discussed how dermatology and her practice have fared in light of these health measures, which procedures have been most affected by them, and what the outlook is for the future.

She also gave insight into her care practices and strategies, with particular consideration for the needs and expectations of patients of color.

Valerie Callender, MD, draws on her experiences in clinical practice to discuss cosmetic dermatology care practices and the challenges of this past year. 

Valerie Callender, MD: What's New in Cosmetic Dermatology

New phase 3 data from the BRAVE-AA trial program showed some patients who had little response to initial baricitinib achieved hair growth in year 2 of treatment.

Baricitinib Maintains Alopecia Hair Regrowth at 2 Years

Late-breaking phase 3 data on nemolizumab monotherapy indicates substantial improvement in key primary and secondary endpoints for prurigo nodularis patients.
