Unmet needs in chronic hand eczema present clear demand for new treatments: GlobalData

Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is a persistent, inflammatory skin disorder characterised by redness and itching, significantly reducing quality of life (QoL). Although multiple treatments for CHE are available, significant unmet need remains in long-term disease management and symptom control unable to be addressed by the current therapies. Therefore, there is a clear demand for therapies that offer sustained relief, fewer side effects, and improved ease of use, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Filippos Maniatis, Healthcare Analyst at GlobalData, comments, “There is a big unmet need to identify improved therapies against CHE. Topical corticosteroids are frequently used as a CHE treatment and provide effective anti-inflammatory action, but their long-term use is limited by their side effects, such as skin thinning. Other treatments include emollients and moisturisers, but they do not address the underlying inflammation, despite the hydration they provide. On the other hand, physicians may prescribe immunosuppressants such as calcineurin inhibitors, but their long-term use may have negative outcomes, including renal dysfunction.”

GSK’s Toctino (alitretinoin) is the only therapy approved for CHE and has previously demonstrated good efficacy in eczema clearance. Nevertheless, research investigating new therapeutic agents, including biologics and small molecules targeting specific inflammatory pathways, may provide better alternatives to the current standard of care for CHE. Such agents have the potential to provide targeted treatment with improved efficacy and safety profiles, including LEO Pharma’s Anzupgo (delgocitinib), which has been approved in Japan for atopic dermatitis (AD) and is currently in clinical trials for CHE (Phase III).

Nevertheless, the recent approval by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) of the UK may further hint at its promising future for CHE in the rest of the world.

Maniatis adds, “Head-to-head studies between Toctino and Anzupgo have demonstrated Anzupgo’s superiority in causing a reduction in the Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) score from baseline to Week 12 compared to Toctino capsules as its primary outcome measure. Thus, Anzupgo may provide a good drug against CHE, highlighting an opportunity for LEO Pharma.”

Other clinical trials for CHE that include agents such as Sanofi/Regneron’s dupilumab, Asana BioSciences’ gusacitinib, and Afecta Pharmaceuticals’ AFX5931 have been completed and have shown positive responses against CHE.

Maniatis concludes, “Overall, current treatment options for CHE, such as topical corticosteroids, emollients, immunosuppressants, and phototherapy, may improve the condition, but all have limitations. Nevertheless, to address the unmet needs in CHE treatment, further research and clinical trials that focus on safety and the patient’s QoL are essential.”