Tralokinumab May be Beneficial for Atopic Dermatitis Treatment in Special Patient Populations

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Data from a 24-week retrospective, dual-center study of individuals with atopic dermatitis (AD) showed that tralokinumab was effective and safe in elderly participants and those with severe comorbidities.

The study enrolled 27 individuals with moderate-to-severe AD from groups typically excluded from clinical trials. All participants were undergoing treatment with tralokinumab at labelled dosage and showed a significant improvement in each of 3 disease severity scores from week 4 to week 24. The cohort included individuals with oncologic, severe neurologic, psychiatric, pulmonary, and and/or cardiovascular disease, and an individual with a history of severe AD, researchers reported.

“Recent knowledge on AD pathogenesis allowed the development of selective drugs specifically targeting [interleukins] involved in the disease,” the group of authors from the University of Naples Federico II and the University of Magna Graecia in Italy wrote in the Journal of Asthma and Allergy. “Among these, tralokinumab, specifically targeting IL13, has been recently licensed, showing promising results in terms of safety…however, studies regarding its use in SPs are scant.”

Investigators added that research on tralokinumab use in SPs with AD is crucial. These patients typically require additional consideration when selecting treatment because the comorbidities or concomitant drugs could interfere with the use of tralokinumab.

“Moreover, these patients may exhibit a different response to treatment and frequency of [adverse events],” wrote researchers. “Therefore, physicians frequently exhibit reluctance to utilize certain drugs, particularly those that are newly introduced, in SPs.”

For the current study, investigators analyzed data from 27 participants (mean age, 71 years; 62.9% men) with moderate-to-severe AD who received tralokinumab for at least 24 weeks, had a comorbidity, and were 65 years and older. Tralokinumab was administered at baseline via subcutaneous injection at labelled dosage (ie, 600 mg or four 150 mg injections) followed by 300 mg (two 150 mg injections) administered every other week in all patients, according to the study.

Researchers assessed the efficacy of tralokinumab using the Eczema Area Severity Index (EASI) and Pruritus–Numerical Rating Scale (P-NRS) and analyzed the impact of AD on quality of life using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) at baseline and after 4, 16, and 24 weeks.

At baseline, mean EASI and P-NRS scores were 25.96 and 9.04, respectively, investigators noted. Moreover, they reported high impact of AD on quality of life with a mean DLQI score of 26.12 at baseline.

At week 4, results showed a statistically significant reduction of EASI (14.92; P < .001) and P-NRS scores (6.28; P < .001) compared to baseline, which continued up to 24 weeks (EASI, 3.08; P < .001; P-NRS, 2.92; P < .001). Also, DLQI scores significantly decreased at each timepoint as compared to baseline, resulting in scores of 14.52 at week 4, 5.52 at week 16, and 2.51 at week 24. No adverse effects (AEs) were reported during the study period.

In addition to the retrospective study design, limitations to study include the short follow-up period, small cohort, and the lack of a control group.

Investigators concluded that while their findings are promising, “further observational data with more patients or longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm our results.”

Reference: Potestio L, Patruno C, Dastoli S, Brescia C, Napolitano M. Tralokinumab for the treatment of adult atopic dermatitis in special populations. J Asthma Allergy. 2024;17:791-799. doi:10.2147/JAA.S474411