There’s a new addition to the armamentarium for atopic dermatitis: a topical phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE-4) inhibitor.
“It’s a real boon to patients, now that we have crisaborole as a first-line treatment for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis,” Joseph F. Fowler Jr., MD, of the University of Louisville (Ky.), said in an interview. “In the trials leading up to its approval, crisaborole was impressive in that it was well tolerated, and the results held up across all age groups over time.” Dr. Fowler spoke at the meeting provided by Global Academy for Medical Education.
Dr. Joseph F. Fowler Jr.
Topical ointment crisaborole 2% (Eucrisa) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in December 2016 for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in patients aged 2 years and older. Approval was based on two placebo-controlled trials with more than 1,500 participants between the ages of 2 and 79 years with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis.
“That it’s not a steroid is important since there are so few options for this pesky condition. We have topical steroids, but a lot of patients get nervous about the overuse of those, just as they do about the box warning for cancer risk on topical calcineurin inhibitors,” Dr. Fowler said. The most common treatment-related adverse event recorded during the trials were burning and stinging at the site of application.
“While topical corticosteroids are certainly effective, I am concerned about the risk of atrophy, especially in children and on sensitive areas such as the face and intertriginous areas. This new treatment does not have that potential adverse effect,” he said.
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Dr. Fowler disclosed that he has financial relationships with Anacor Pharmaceuticals – the manufacturer of crisaborole – and Pfizer, among other companies.
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