Objective: Evaluate the efficacy and safety of apremilast, a novel phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor, in subjects with recalcitrant moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) or allergic contact dermatitis (ACD).
Research design and methods: This was a proof-of-concept, phase 2, open-label, single institution trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety of apremilast, 20 mg twice daily, for twelve weeks, in ten subjects with either AD and/or ACD. The primary endpoint was a ?2 point improvement in Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) score after 12 weeks of treatment. Secondary endpoints included a 75% reduction in the Eczema Assessment Severity Index (EASI-75), EASI-50, and the maximum EASI response.
Results: The primary endpoint of improvement in IGA by two or more points was met by 20% of subjects. Ten percent of subjects achieved EASI-75 and another 10% reached EASI-50. All subjects tolerated apremilast well with no serious adverse events or withdrawal due to side effects. Common adverse events associated with apremilast included headache, nausea, and soft stool.
Limitations: This study was limited by its small sample size and lack of a comparison group to serve as a control.
Conclusions: Apremilast was well tolerated in all subjects. Apremilast was minimally effective in AD and ACD and results were inferior to previous trials of apremilast in psoriasis.