b'New Guidelines Address Use of Topical Ruxolitinib in Atopic Dermatitis Prescriptions for Other AD Therapy Drop After InitiationCurrently, topical ruxolitinib is the only JAK inhibitor therapy approved in North America for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. New specialty group guidelines clarified the optimal use of the product in AD patients unable to get relieffrom other therapies but also questioned whether it should be usedin most patients with mild to moderate disease refractory to moisturization alone. A recent industry study cited other benefits, however.By Brenda L. MooneySANDIEGOUsingtopicalruxolitinibcreamtobiologics, the study team concluded.treat atopic dermatitis decreases the need for otherThe retrospective observational study was conducted AD treatments, according to new research. usingclaimsdatafromtheHealthcareIntegrated The new industry study presented at the AmericanResearch Database (HIRD) and included patients with AcademyofDermatologyannualmeetingestab- a first claim for ruxolitinib cream between October lishedthatbenefit,accordingtotheauthors,who2021 and July 2022. The 1,581 participantswere 12 noted, Within the 6 months following ruxolitinibor older on the index date, with one or more phar-cream initiation, there was a decrease in utilizationmacy claims of ruxolitinib cream along with a medi-of other AD treatments. cal claim with an AD diagnosis in the prior 6 months, Ruxolitinib cream is a topically administered selec- and six or more months of continuous enrollment in a tive Janus kinase (JAK) 1/JAK2 inhibitor approved inhealthcare plan before and after the index date.the United States in 2021. 1 The studys findings were not considered in recently The presentation described it as an effective non- issued guidelines, however.steroidal monotherapy initially used twice daily con- Recentrecommendationsonthemanagement tinuously to reduce signs and symptoms of AD, andofatopicdermatitisfromthe American Academy as-needed for longer-term disease control, as shownofAllergy,AsthmaandImmunology/American in adults and adolescents with mild to moderate ADCollege of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology clari-in two phase 3 clinical studies. fied recommendations on the use of topical Janus In the study based on a U.S. payor claims database,kinase (JAK) inhibitors. almost half of the patients using ruxolitinib cream didNew guidelines said JAK inhibitors such as rux-not receive any other AD treatment, with both topicalolitinib might be used in AD patients under certain and oral corticosteroid use decreasing. conditions but should not be in most of those with Most, more than 90% of biologics-naive patients didmild-to-moderate disease refractory to moisturiza-not initiate biologics, and 17.4% of patients who weretion alone.on biologics during the 6-month pre-index period didAlthough many topical JAK inhibitors are in devel-not continue these treatments during the 6-month fol- opment,onlyruxolitinibiscurrentlyavailablein low-up period, the study pointed out. North America, guideline authors, including a rep-Thus, early assessments suggest that initiating rux- resentative from the James A. Haley VA Hospital in olitinib cream may reduce the overall need for otherTampa, wrote in the March issue of Annals of Allergy, AD therapies such as topical/oral corticosteroids andAsthma & Immunology. 244'