September 17, 2024 – The FDA has approved a brand new treatment for stubborn eczema called Ebglyss, which is able to ultimately only have to be taken once a month and offers a less frequent maintenance dose than alternatives.
Ebglyss is approved for people ages 12 and older with moderate to severe illness atopic dermatitisprobably the most common form of eczema. According to the FDA, Ebglyss will be used if symptoms resembling dull to brilliant redness and rough patches of skin, possibly with oozing and crusting, persist even after treatment with topical options resembling creams and ointments.
The medicine is a monoclonal antibody that’s initially administered every two weeks by injection with a pre-filled pen, but can be taken as a maintenance dose only once a month. Alternative treatments typically include every day tablets or twice-monthly injections.
“Patients still have difficulty controlling their moderate to severe atopic dermatitis with currently available therapies. For many, long-term disease control is poor and severe itching can significantly impact their daily life,” said Jonathan Silverberg, MD, PhD, MPH, associate professor of dermatology on the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, in a opinion from drugmaker Eli Lilly.
Silverberg continued working two studies of medication.
According to a summary by Eli, in clinical trials, 38% of people that took Ebglyss (generic name: lebrikizumab-lbkz) had clear or nearly clear skin after 4 months, in comparison with 12% of people that took a placebo and similar results reported Lilly. One of the most effective results was relief from itching.
Of those that experienced results, 77% maintained clear or nearly clear skin after switching to once-monthly treatments for the remaining of the 12 months. Study results also showed that some people were capable of stop taking Ebglyss after 4 months and maintain results even after a 12 months.
The treatment was approved to be used in Europe last 12 months and to be used in Japan earlier this 12 months.
Common unintended effects included redness, swelling and itching of the attention and eyelid, injection site reactions and shingles (herpes zoster).