Incyte Announces Positive CHMP Opinion for Opzelura® (ruxolitinib) Cream for the Treatment of Adults with Moderate Atopic Dermatitis
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If approved, Opzelura® (ruxolitinib) cream will be the first steroid-free, topical JAK treatment option in the
European Union (EU) for adults with moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) for whom standard topical therapies have failed - AD, the most common type of eczema which affects 230 million people globally,1 is a chronic, recurring, inflammatory and highly pruritic (itchy) skin condition that can have a significant impact on daily life2
- Phase 3 TRuE‑AD4 data supporting the positive CHMP opinion demonstrated that ruxolitinib cream met both co‑primary endpoints at Week 8, maintained disease control with as-needed treatment through Week 24 and was well tolerated3,4,5
MORGES,
“AD is a chronic skin condition that can have a significant impact on daily life. The positive CHMP opinion for Opzelura marks meaningful progress toward bringing the first non-steroidal topical JAK treatment option to adults in
The positive CHMP opinion is based on results from the pivotal Phase 3 TRuE-AD4 study (NCT06238817), supported by the Phase 3 TRuE-AD1 (NCT03745638) and TRuE-AD2 (NCT03745651) studies, evaluating the safety and efficacy of ruxolitinib cream in adults with AD.4,6,7
In TRuE-AD4, ruxolitinib cream significantly improved the clinical signs and symptoms of moderate AD, including itch, as early as Day 2 and was well tolerated in adults who had an inadequate response, intolerance or contraindication to both TCSs and TCIs.3 The TRuE‑AD4 study met its co‑primary endpoints at Week 8, with a statistically significantly higher proportion of patients on ruxolitinib cream versus vehicle cream achieving a ≥75% improvement from baseline in the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI75), and, separately, Investigator’s Global Assessment Treatment Success (IGA‑TS, defined as an IGA score of 0 [clear] or 1 [almost clear] with at least a two-point improvement from baseline).3
Efficacy was maintained following the initial treatment period with 84.3% of patients achieving EASI75 and 70.6% achieving IGA-TS with as needed therapy at Week 24.5 Mean affected body surface area (BSA) decreased markedly from 15.1% at baseline to 2.5% at Week 8 and remained low at Week 24 (2.5%), while itch relief (NRS4; ≥4-point improvement in Itch Numeric Rating Scale) remained high (74.3% at Week 8 and 64.7% at Week 24) with ruxolitinib cream treatment.3,5
Additionally, patients treated with ruxolitinib cream also showed improvements in quality of life, with mean Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores improving from 19.3 at baseline to 4.3 at Week 8, compared with 19.1 to 10.7 with vehicle cream (control).3
Ruxolitinib cream was well tolerated, with no serious infections, major adverse cardiovascular events, malignancies or thromboses reported during the 24-week treatment period.4 The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were upper respiratory tract infection (10.6%) and nasopharyngitis (6.3%).3
“In clinical practice, many adults with moderate AD do not achieve the level of disease control they need, despite available topical therapies, and the impact on quality of life can be considerable,” said Dr.
AD, the most common type of eczema, is a chronic, recurring, inflammatory and highly pruritic skin condition that affects up to 4% of adults worldwide, with an estimated prevalence of 4.4-7.1% of adults in Europe.2,8,9,10 Signs and symptoms include irritated and itchy skin that can cause red lesions that may ooze and crust.2
The CHMP opinion is now being reviewed by the
About TRuE-AD4
TRuE-AD4 (NCT06238817) is a randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled Phase 3b study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Opzelura® (ruxolitinib) cream in adults with moderate atopic dermatitis (AD). The study enrolled 241 patients (≥18 years old) who met the specific inclusion criteria, including an IGA (Investigator's Global Assessment) score of 3 and an
Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive Opzelura applied twice daily (BID) or vehicle (non-medicated cream) BID. At Week 8, patients who achieved EASI50 continued double-blind, BID treatment, applied as needed for an additional 16 weeks. Patients for whom EASI50 was not achieved at two consecutive visits ≥1 week apart were eligible to enter the escape arm at Week 8 or later, in which open-label Opzelura cream was applied as needed.
The co-primary endpoints of TRuE-AD4 were the proportion of patients achieving IGA Treatment Success (IGA-TS), defined as an IGA score of 0 (clear) or 1 (almost clear) with at least a two-point improvement from baseline, and EASI75, defined as ≥75% improvement in
For more information on the study, visit https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06238817.
About Opzelura® (ruxolitinib) cream
Opzelura (ruxolitinib) cream, a novel cream formulation of Incyte’s selective JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib, is approved by the
In
Opzelura is a registered trademark of
For more information, see the Opzelura SmPC.
About Incyte®
Incyte is redefining what’s possible in biopharmaceutical innovation. Through deep scientific expertise and a relentless focus on patients, we have built an established portfolio of first-in-class medicines and an extensive portfolio of next-generation medicines across our key franchises: Hematology, Oncology, and Inflammation & Autoimmunity.
To learn more, visit Incyte.com and Investor.Incyte.com. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn, X and Instagram.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws, including statements regarding whether and when ruxolitinib cream might become a new treatment option for patients in the EU with moderate AD; ruxolitinib cream’s potential to delay or prevent progression to systemic therapy; and Incyte’s aspirations and goals as set forth under the heading “About Incyte.”
Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the sufficiency of clinical trial data to meet applicable regulatory standards or warrant continued development; the ability to enroll sufficient numbers of subjects in clinical trials and the ability to enroll subjects in accordance with planned schedules; actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing and progress of clinical trials and marketing approval; the efficacy or safety of Incyte’s products; Incyte’s ability to achieve commercial success for its marketed products and product candidates, if approved; Incyte’s ability to obtain and maintain protection of intellectual property for its products and technology; Incyte’s reliance on third parties and partners; the acceptance of Incyte’s products in the marketplace; market competition, sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution requirements; greater than expected expenses, including expenses relating to litigation or strategic activities; and those risks and uncertainties discussed in greater detail in Incyte’s reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. Incyte disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
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| 1 Tiang J, Zhang, D Yang, Y, et al. Global epidemiology of atopic dermatitis: a comprehensive systematic analysis and modelling study. Br |
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2 Global Atopic Dermatitis Atlas. Global report on atopic dermatitis 2022. Available at: https://www.eczemacouncil.org/assets/docs/global-report-on-atopic-dermatitis-2022.pdf. Accessed |
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3 Carrascosa JM, Prajapati VH, and Hong HC, et al. Efficacy and safety of ruxolitinib cream in adults with moderate atopic dermatitis: results from TRuE-AD4, a phase 3b, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled study. Results presented at the International Symposium on Atopic Dermatitis (ISAD), |
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4 ClinicalTrials.Gov. A study to evaluate the efficacy, and safety study of ruxolitinib cream in adults with moderate atopic dermatitis (TRuE-AD4). Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06238817. Accessed |
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5 Wollenberg A, Hong HC, Agius E, et al. Long-term disease control and safety with ruxolitinib cream in adults with moderate atopic dermatitis following failure of prior topical therapies: results from the TRuE-AD4 phase 3b study. Results presented at the |
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6 ClinicalTrials.Gov. Topical ruxolitinib evaluation in atopic dermatitis study 1 (TRuE AD1) - an efficacy and safety study of ruxolitinib cream in adolescents and adults with atopic dermatitis. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03745638. Accessed |
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7 ClinicalTrials.Gov. TRuE AD2 - an efficacy and safety study of ruxolitinib cream in adolescents and adults with atopic dermatitis. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03745651. Accessed |
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8 Barbarot S, Auziere S, Gadkari A, et al. Epidemiology of atopic dermatitis in adults: Results from an international survey. Allergy. 2018;73(6):1284-1293. Link to source (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29319189/) |
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9 Silverberg JI, Barbarot S, Gadkari A, et al. Atopic dermatitis in the pediatric population: A cross-sectional, international epidemiologic study. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2021;126(4):417-428.e2. Link to source (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33421555/) |
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10 Eckert L, Gupta S, Gadkari A, et al. Burden of illness in adults with atopic dermatitis: Analysis of national health and wellness survey data from |
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