FDA Approves Topical Eczema Rx for Ages 6 or Older

On July 9, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the supplemental new drug application for roflumilast cream 0.15% for the treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) in adults and in pediatric patients aged 6 years or older.
Roflumilast cream 0.15%, which has been developed by Arcutis Biotherapeutics and is marketed under the brand name Zoryve, is a steroid-free topical phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor that was previously approved in a higher concentration to treat seborrheic dermatitis and plaque psoriasis.
According to a press release from Arcutis, approval for AD was supported by positive results from three phase 3 studies, a phase 2 dose-ranging study, and two phase 1 pharmacokinetic trials. In two identical phase 3 studies known as INTEGUMENT-1 and INTEGUMENT-2, about 40% of children and adults treated with roflumilast cream 0.15% achieved a Validated Investigator Global Assessment for Atopic Dermatitis (vIGA-AD) score of clear (0) or almost clear (1) at week 4 (INTEGUMENT-1: 41.5% vs 25.2%; P < .0001; INTEGUMENT-2: 39% vs 16.9%; P < .0001), with significant improvement as early as week 1 (P < .0001).
Among children and adults who participated in the INTEGUMENT studies for 28 and 56 weeks, 61.3% and 65.7% achieved an Eczema Area and Severity Index-75, respectively. According to the company, there were no adverse reactions in the combined phase 3 pivotal trials that occurred in more than 2.9% of participants in either arm. The most common adverse reactions included headache (2.9%), nausea (1.9%), application site pain (1.5%), diarrhea (1.5%), and vomiting (1.5%).
The product is expected to be available commercially at the end of July 2024, according to Arcutis. Roflumilast cream 0.3% is indicated for topical treatment of plaque psoriasis, including intertriginous areas, in adult and pediatric patients aged 6 years or older; roflumilast foam 0.3% is indicated for the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis in adult and pediatric patients aged 9 years or older. 
 
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