Ebglyss Shows Improvement in Atopic Dermatitis Patients Who Stopped Dupixent

Eli Lilly’s Ebglyss (lebrikizumab-lbkz) showed improvement in skin clearance and itch relief for most patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis who had previously discontinued Dupixent (dupilumab), according to new phase 3b study results.

The ADapt trial, led by Linda Stein Gold, M.D., director of dermatology research and head of the Division of Dermatology for Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan, found that 57% of patients achieved at least 75% improvement in the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-75) score at 16 weeks, increasing to 60% at 24 weeks. These results, presented at the 2024 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference held October 24 – 27 in Las Vegas, Nevada, were comparable to those seen in biologic-naive patients in earlier phase 3 trials.

“Treatment isn’t one-size-fits-all, and many patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis remain in need of an effective medicine to help manage the impact of the disease, especially in difficult-to-treat areas like face and hands,” Gold said in a news release. “These data showed that Ebglyss improved skin symptoms and reduced itch for the majority of patients who had stopped using dupilumab and complement previously presented Ebglyss data in biologic-naive patients, further supporting that a broad range of patients could benefit from this new and effective treatment option.”

Ebglyss, an interleukin-13 inhibitor, also demonstrated efficacy in treating difficult areas such as the face and hands. More than half of patients saw clear or almost clear face dermatitis at 24 weeks, while those with moderate-to-severe hand dermatitis experienced a 75% decrease in symptom scores.

The drug's safety profile was consistent with previous studies, with less than 6% of patients discontinuing due to adverse events. Patients who had stopped dupilumab due to eye-related events, facial dermatitis or inflammatory arthritis did not report similar issues with Ebglyss.

Related: Study Compares Effectiveness of Systemic Atopic Dermatitis Treatments

Ebglyss received FDA approval in September 2024 as a first-line biologic treatment for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults and children 12 years and older weighing at least 88 pounds. It has a wholesale acquisition cost of $3,500 for either one prefilled pen or one prefilled syringe. It is administered as a monthly maintenance injection following an initial treatment phase.

The drug was approved in the European Union in 2023, as well as in Japan in January 2024, with additional regions coming online later this year.