Pfizer’s phase-III Jade trial shows positive results

Pfizer recently announced that Jade Dare (B7451050), a 26-week, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, active-controlled, multi-center phase-III study, met its co-primary and key secondary efficacy endpoints. The study showed that abrocitinib was statistically superior compared to dupilumab in each evaluated efficacy measure and had a safety profile consistent with previous studies. The head-to-head study was designed to directly compare the efficacy of abrocitinib 200mg versus dupilumab 300mg, in adult participants on background topical therapy with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), the company said in a statement.

Abrocitinib 200mg was administered by once-daily oral tablet and dupilumab was administered by subcutaneous injection every other week following a 600mg induction dose, added the statement.

“The results from our first formal head-to-head trial for abrocitinib illustrate its potential for meaningful symptom relief for patients and further build upon the substantial body of data from the Jade development programme,” said Michael Corbo, PhD, Chief Development Officer, Inflammation and  Immunology, Pfizer Global Product Development.

He added, “We’re pleased that the study findings show the potential impact abrocitinib could have to help people living with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in reducing their itch significantly and in achieving near-complete skin clearance.”

The statement also informed that the co-primary efficacy endpoints in Jade Dare were the proportion of patients achieving at least a four-point improvement in the severity of Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (PP-NRS4) from baseline at week two and the proportion of patients achieving Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI)-90 (≥90% improvement from baseline) at week four. The key secondary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving EASI-90 at week 16. The study will allow assessment of any difference in efficacy that may persist at month six of the treatment.

It further said that a larger percentage of patients treated with abrocitinib 200mg experienced adverse events compared to dupilumab 300mg. The proportion of patients experiencing serious adverse events, severe adverse events, and adverse events leading to study discontinuation were similar in both treatment arms. Two deaths occurred in patients treated with abrocitinib 200mg, which were characterised by the investigator as unrelated to the study drug. One death was attributed to COVID-19 and the second was attributed to intracranial hemorrhage and cardiorespiratory arrest, and classified as a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE). There were no cases of malignancies or venous thromboembolism (VTE) events confirmed through adjudication. The safety profile seen with abrocitinib was consistent with previous studies in the Jade programme.

The study is part of the JAK1 Atopic Dermatitis Efficacy and Safety (JADE) global development programme for abrocitinib. Full results from Jade Dare will be submitted for presentation at a future scientific meeting and publication in a medical journal. Additionally, at the appropriate time, Pfizer intends to share these data with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other regulatory agencies around the world reviewing submissions for abrocitinib, the statement notified.