WEDNESDAY, April 26, 2023  -- For patients with chronic hand eczema (CHE), rapid improvement is seen with gusacitinib 80 mg treatment, according to a study published online April 22 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Pablo A. Jimenez, M.D., from Asana BioSciences in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, and colleagues examined the efficacy and safety of gusacitinib in a double-blind phase 2 study in 97 patients with CHE. Participants were randomly assigned to placebo or gusacitinib (40 or 80 mg) for 12 weeks (part A) and then received gusacitinib through week 32 in part B.

The researchers found a 69.5, 49.0, and 33.5 percent decrease in the modified Total Lesion Symptom Score (mTLSS) for patients receiving 80 mg gusacitinib, 40 mg gusacitinib, and placebo, respectively. Significant improvement in the Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) was seen in 31.3 and 6.3 percent of patients receiving 80 mg gusacitinib and placebo, respectively. A 73.3 versus 21.7 percent decrease in the hand eczema severity index (HECSI) was observed for patients receiving 80 mg gusacitinib versus placebo. A significant decrease in hand pain was noted for patients receiving 80 mg gusacitinib. Significant reductions over placebo were seen for 80 mg gusacitinib in mTLSS, PGA, and HECSI as early as week 2. Upper respiratory infection, headache, nausea, and nasopharyngitis were reported as adverse events.

"In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 97 moderate-to-severe steroid refractive CHE patients, gusacitinib was well tolerated and showed significant efficacy with a fast onset of action," the authors write.

The study was funded by Asana BioSciences, the manufacturer of gusacitinib.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)