Tralokinumab for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a relapsing or chronic heterogeneous inflammatory skin disorder with a substantial economic and social impact. AD is a multifactorial disease regulated by a diverse set of environmental and genetic determinants. The main factors involved in the pathogenesis of AD are epidermal barrier dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and dysbiosis. Current data have valued interleukin (IL)-13 as conceivably the crucial cytokine in the underlying inflammation of AD. Advances in understanding AD pathophysiology have driven the progress of targeted immunomodulatory treatments for the treatment of AD, including tralokinumab, a selective IL-13 inhibitor. A phase IIb clinical trial showed that a dosing regimen of 150 or 300 mg every 2 weeks effectively treated moderate-to-severe AD in adults with an acceptable tolerability profile. Phase III clinical trials demonstrated that results with tralokinumab in monotherapy were superior to those with placebo at 16 weeks of treatment. It was also well tolerated up to 52 weeks in the vast majority of patients. In addition, in association with topical corticosteroids, tralokinumab was well tolerated and effective and had a favorable risk-benefit profile. These data provide additional evidence that IL-13 is central to AD pathogenesis, suggesting that tralokinumab may be seen as an innovative option for the treatment of moderate-to-severe AD.