Late-Breaking Data: Super Responders With Delgocitinib for CHE

“About a quarter of the patients have achieved either significant improvement in their pain or itch score, or maintained at least 75% improvement in their severity through not only at week 16, but also in the weeks prior to week 16. We call this consistent response as a part of the definition of super responders,” said April Armstrong, MD, MPH, FAAD, in an interview at the 2025 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Armstrong, a board-certified dermatologist as well as professor and chief of dermatology at UCLA, presented late-breaking data on delgocitinib cream (Anzupgo; LEO Pharma) for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic hand eczema (CHE).¹

The latest post hoc data analysis evaluated the treatment response in patients with moderate to severe chronic CHE treated with delgocitinib for 16 weeks compared to patients treated with a vehicle cream in the DELTA 1 and DELTA 2 trials. The subgroup in the post hoc analysis was defined as patients with either a deep, consistent, and/or maintained treatment response.²

Armstrong discussed delgocitinib’s effects on 'super responders': patients with moderate to severe CHE who achieve exceptional treatment outcomes. Delgocitinib is currently already approved in Europe.

Armstrong’s Key Takeaways

1. Deep Response by Week 16

• Super responders were defined as those achieving little to no symptoms in pain, itch, and quality of life impact by week 16 of the pivotal trial.
• Approximately 50% of patients met at least one of these deep response criteria, demonstrating substantial relief from disease burden.

2. Consistency of Improvement Over Time

• A subset of patients showed sustained improvement in pain or itch scores, maintaining ≥75% improvement in disease severity not just at week 16, but also in the weeks leading up to it.
• Approximately 25% of patients exhibited this consistent response, indicating stable, long-term efficacy.

3. Durability of Response After Treatment Discontinuation

• Among patients who achieved Investigator’s Global Assessment-CHE 0 (clear) by week 16, a significant proportion maintained their results even after stopping delgocitinib.
• By week 8 post-treatment, about one-third of these patients remained clear or almost clear, suggesting a lasting therapeutic benefit even without continued application.

According to Armstrong, these findings reinforce delgocitinib’s potential as an effective, long-term treatment option for moderate to severe CHE, providing not only rapid improvement but also sustained disease control in select patients. Armstrong expressed optimism for FDA approval in the US, which could offer a new topical for patients with CHE.

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References

1. Armstrong A. “Super responders” following treatment with delgocitinib cream 20mg/g in a subgroup of patients with moderate to severe chronic hand eczema. Poster presented at: 2025 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting. March 7-11, 2025; Orlando FL.
2. LEO Pharma presents new late-breaking delgocitinib cream data for the third consecutive year at AAD 2025. News release. Business wire. March 8, 2025. Accessed March 8, 2025. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250308530521/en/LEO-Pharma-Presents-New-Late-Breaking-Delgocitinib-Cream-Data-For-the-Third-Consecutive-Year-at-AAD-2025