Advances in Therapy for Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common chronic inflammatory skin condition in the world, characterized by epidermal barrier dysfunction, increased pathogen ingress, dysbiosis, and chronic inflammation. Patients with AD are at an increased risk of other comorbidities including skin infections, sleep disorders, and psychosocial morbidities that have significant impacts on quality of life and warrant more advanced therapeutics. A number of Th2 cytokines and the JAK-STAT pathway have been identified as playing critical roles in the pathogenesis of AD resulting in a rich pipeline of agents that target these factors. In this brief clinical review, we examine the evidence available for novel agents in Phase II and Phase III studies as potential treatments to broaden the therapeutic options, especially for patients with moderate-to-severe AD.