Category Archives: Dermatology

Dermatology

Moderna and Merck’s V940 Plus Pembrolizumab Demonstrates Improvement in RFS and DMFS in Stage III/IV … – Dermatology Times

Superficial spreading melanoma

Image courtesy of DermNet

Moderna and Merck recently announced follow-up data from the phase 2b randomized KEYNOTE-942/mRNA-4157-P201 study, a clinical trial evaluating mRNA-4157 (V940), an investigational individualized neoantigen therapy (INT), in combination with pembrolizumab (Keytruda), Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, in patients with resected high-risk melanoma (stage III/IV) following complete resection. After a follow-up of 3 years, adjuvant treatment with V940 plus pembrolizumab continued to demonstrate a clinically meaningful improvement in recurrence-free survival (RFS), reducing the risk of recurrence or death by 49% (HR=0.510 [95% CI, 0.288-0.906]; one-sided nominal p=0.0095) compared with pembrolizumab alone. V940 plus pembrolizumab also continued to demonstrate a meaningful improvement in distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), compared with pembrolizumab alone, reducing the risk of developing distant metastasis or death by 62% (HR=0.384 [95% CI, 0.172-0.858]; one-sided nominal p= 0.0077).

Based on data from the phase 2b KEYNOTE-942/mRNA-4157-P201 study, the FDA and European Medicines Agency granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation and the Priority Medicines (PRIME) scheme, respectively, for V940 plus pembrolizumab for the adjuvant treatment of patients with high-risk melanoma.

"As we continue to follow participants in the KEYNOTE-942/mRNA-4157-P201 study, we are excited to see such a robust clinical benefit with mRNA-4157 (V940) as adjuvant treatment in combination with KEYTRUDA in people with resected high-risk melanoma," said Kyle Holen, MD, the senior vice president and head of development of therapeutics and oncology at Moderna, in the news release. "These data add another positive analysis to the multiple endpoints and subgroups previously assessed in this study. Importantly for this technology, the KEYNOTE-942/mRNA-4157-P201 study was the first demonstration of efficacy for an investigational mRNA cancer treatment in a randomized clinical trial and the first combination therapy to show a significant benefit over KEYTRUDA alone in adjuvant melanoma. We look forward to sharing these data with people impacted by this disease and the broader scientific community."

Adverse events observed with V940 in KEYNOTE-942 are similar to those previously reported. At a median planned follow-up of approximately 3 years, the number of patients reporting treatment-related grade 3 adverse events was similar between the arms (25% for V940 plus pembrolizumab vs 20% for pembrolizumab alone). The most common adverse events associated with V940 were fatigue (60.6%), injection site pain (56.7%), and chills (49%).

In July 2023, Moderna and Merck announced the initiation of a pivotal phase 3 randomized INTerpath-001 (NCT05933577) clinical trial evaluating V940 plus pembrolizumab, as an adjuvant treatment in patients with resected high-risk (Stage IIB-IV) melanoma. Global recruitment in INTerpath-001 has started.

"We are committed to driving research forward for innovative modalities in earlier stages of cancer, where we can make the most meaningful impact for patients, by combining Merck's expertise in immuno-oncology with Moderna's innovative mRNA technology," said Marjorie Green, MD, the senior vice president and head of late-stage oncology and global clinical development at Merck Research Laboratories, in the news release. "We are pleased to see the results from this planned analyses on recurrence-free survival for V940 (mRNA-4157), and look forward to working with Moderna in expanding our clinical development program for the individualized neoantigen therapy."

Reference

Moderna and Merck announce mRNA-4157 (v940) in combination with Keytruda(r) (pembrolizumab) demonstrated continued improvement in recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival in patients with high-risk stage iii/iv melanoma following complete resection versus Keytruda at three years. News release. Moderna. December 14, 2023. Accessed December 18, 2023. https://investors.modernatx.com/news/news-details/2023/Moderna-And-Merck-Announce-mRNA-4157-V940-In-Combination-with-KeytrudaR-Pembrolizumab-Demonstrated-Continued-Improvement-in-Recurrence-Free-Survival-and-Distant-Metastasis-Free-Survival-in-Patients-with-High-Risk-Stage-IIIIV-Melanoma-Following-Comple/default.aspx

Read the rest here:

Moderna and Merck's V940 Plus Pembrolizumab Demonstrates Improvement in RFS and DMFS in Stage III/IV ... - Dermatology Times

Dermatology

Aptar Digital Health and Legit.Health Partner to Improve Patient Experience in Immuno-Dermatology – Healthcare Packaging

This content was written and submitted by the supplier. It has only been modified to comply with this publications space and style.

Aptar Digital Health, a developer of Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), digital Patient Support Programs (PSPs), and disease management solutions, has announced a new partnership with Legit.Health, an artificial intelligence-based, medical device software company that focuses on the early detection, evaluation, and monitoring of skin diseases.

Legit.Healths technology, which supports the diagnosis of approximately 300 conditions including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and skin cancer, will be integrated into Aptar's Digital Health proprietary platform. Focused on enhancing patient care and increasing patient autonomy, this advanced digital solution will support healthcare professionals (HCPs) to diagnose skin conditions earlier and will enable patients to start treatment plans sooner to improve their overall quality of life. The solution also may be used to facilitate patient enrollment in clinical trials.

Legit.Health's use of AI for monitoring disease progression through automated, clinically validated scoring systems, such as the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) and SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), will be leveraged within this partnership. This will help to ensure patients receive the most accurate and timely information to manage and treat their skin condition more effectively. The AI-powered technology also extends to the quantification of the intensity, count, and extent of the visible clinical signs of skin conditions, offering HCPs a more precise measure of disease severity, an indicator considered critical in determining the most appropriate treatment.

This strategic partnership is set to drive digital transformation in the healthcare sector. Aptar Digital Health andLegit.Healthtogether will pave the way towards harnessing the power of AI to improve patient experiences and outcomes in immuno-dermatology.

Sai Shankar, President, Aptar Digital Health, stated, Since 2021, Aptar Digital Health has been growing our portfolio of technology partners to provide improved solutions for patients in multiple therapeutic areas such as cardiology, neurology and visual acuity. With this new partnership, Aptar Digital Health is acquiring the ability to leverage AI technology to accelerate the diagnosis and monitoring of skin conditions.

Andy Aguilar, CEO and Co-Founder ofLegit.Health, commented, One of our main aims within the medical assistance process in the field of dermatology is to be able to offer patients the opportunity of having the earliest and most accurate diagnosis, with the appropriate referral and treatment to reduce uncertainty and waiting times. She added, Legit.Health's technology helps the medical practitioner to provide this kind of care to their patients and today, thanks to our partnership with Aptar Digital Health, we will be able to reach even more people who will benefit from our service

See original here:

Aptar Digital Health and Legit.Health Partner to Improve Patient Experience in Immuno-Dermatology - Healthcare Packaging

Dermatology

Navigating Location Specific Treatment Selection and Topical Therapy Limitations – Dermatology Times

This is a video synopsis/summary of a panel discussion involving Lisa Swanson, MD, FAAD, and Robert J. Casquejo, PA-C.

The conversation begins with an exploration of the distinctive features of plaque psoriasis that differentiate it from other dermatologic conditions. The difficulty of diagnosing psoriasis is discussed, with attention to variables like location, skin color, and ethnic variability. The challenges become apparent when distinguishing between psoriasis and conditions such as eczema.

The speakers note that psoriasis diagnosis can be straightforward in some cases but challenging in others, particularly when there is an overlap with conditions like eczema. An expert shares experiences from his pediatric specialty, highlighting instances where psoriasis is misdiagnosed as other dermatologic conditions.

The conversation shifts to the significance of the location of psoriasis involvement in guiding treatment decisions. Scalp psoriasis is emphasized as a challenging area for topical management, prompting considerations of both physical and psychosocial impact. An expert discusses his approach, focusing on the severity of physical symptoms and the psychosocial impact when deciding on treatment options.

The speakers delve into the challenges of managing scalp psoriasis with topical medications, noting issues like greasiness and patient dissatisfaction. An expert suggests that systemic treatment options may be more practical for areas like the scalp due to ease of use and patient preferences.

The speakers agree on the complexity of treating psoriasis in problematic areas like the scalp, acknowledging the limitations of topical medications and the need for more aggressive approaches. The conversation concludes with an acknowledgment that certain areas, including the scalp, pose challenges that may require systemic treatments beyond topical applications.

Video synopsis is AI-generated and reviewed by DermatologyTimes editorial staff.

Read more:

Navigating Location Specific Treatment Selection and Topical Therapy Limitations - Dermatology Times

Dermatology

POLL: What Percent of the Global Population is Estimated to Have … – Dermatology Times

Hyperhidrosis is not rare. According to the International Hyperhidrosis Society, approximately 385 million people worldwide live with hyperhidrosis.

In fact, they note that the amount of people living with chronic, excessive sweating is even higher than the amount of people living with other dermatologic conditions like psoriasis.

Just how common is hyperhidrosis in real-world comparisons?

The prevalence of hyperhidrosis is much higher in younger populations than in the general population, with 8.8% of individuals between the ages of 18 to 39 years old living with the condition.

When comparing these statistics to everyday, common occurrences like hair color, the number of people with hyperhidrosis is greater than the 1% of individuals with natural red hair and 2% of individuals with natural blond hair.

Despite how common hyperhidrosis is, it is estimated that 27% of those with the condition never receive a diagnosis.

This Hyperhidrosis Awareness Month, Dermatology Times wants to hear from you. What percentage of the global population is estimated to have hyperhidrosis?

Vote below or email us at DTEditor@mmhgroup.com to share your hyperhidrosis insights or research.

What percent of the global population is estimated to have hyperhidrosis?

Reference

Albert. Fact check: Hyperhidrosis - International Hyperhidrosis Society: Official site. Home - International Hyperhidrosis Society. October 24, 1970. Accessed November 16, 2023. https://www.sweathelp.org/home/news-blog/542-fact-check-hyperhidrosis.html

Go here to read the rest:

POLL: What Percent of the Global Population is Estimated to Have ... - Dermatology Times

Dermatology

Purple Heart Project Seeks to Provide Veterans With Access to … – Dermatology Times

Jorge Garcia-Zuazaga, MD, MBA, FAAD, FACMS, is a Mohs surgeon and the founder of Apex Dermatology and Skin Surgery Center in Northeast Ohio.

Garcia-Zuazaga is also a former flight surgeon for a Marine squadron, leading him to combine his passions for military service and skin health via the creation of the Purple Heart Project, an initiative aimed at supporting skin health in veterans with severe wounds.

Garcia-Zuazaga recently spoke with Dermatology Times to discuss the Purple Heart Project and its efforts in providing this patient population with access to dermatologic care.

"Usually on Veterans Day, around the Marine Corps birthday, it's a big time where we go out there and remind people that we're here for that," he said. "But it really is a whole year type of thing. We don't just do it on only one day."

Transcript

Jorge Garcia-Zuazaga, MD, MBA, FAAD, FACMS: My name is Jorge Garcia-Zuazaga. I am a Mohs surgeon, and I'm the founder of Apex Dermatology and Skin Surgery Center here in the Northeast Ohio area.

Dermatology Times: What is the Purple Heart Project, and what are its main goals?

Garcia-Zuazaga: This started way back probably 10 years ago, when I founded Apex. I was looking for a community project to do that kind of blended my interest in dermatology and skin cancer but at the same time, my military service. Before I did dermatology, I was a flight surgeon for a Marine F-18 squadron. I did that for about 4 years, and so we bonded, and I had a lot of great experiences. I owe a lot of what I am today to the military service that I've done.

I was thinking about something that could resonate with me and the community. Then years later, the Boston Marathon bombing, there was some type of group [a plastic surgery group or medical group] that, assisted in some of those burn-wounded folks. And then I was like, "Maybe they can do something with scars." And then I started thinking more deep about it, and I thought, in dermatology, we're blessed that we connect with our patients, and the patient opens up to us, and scars tell their story. A lot of the folks in the military, the veterans, those scars go a lot deeper than the skin. Some some of them have PTSD and deal with other mental health issues. I was thinking, "Well, maybe I can do something that can help them feel better about themselves. Maybe I can get their mind clearer, or maybe get them back into the game, get them back into their community." That's kind of how it started, and it's really kind of started as just me, just grassroots, just me talking to my patients. I do a lot of VA care, and I connect with a lot of my patients. And basically, that's how we started now.

Over the years, it's developed into what it is now, which is a little bit more organized. We decided to kind of put it together more like a formal program, where the veterans can log into our website at ApexSkin.com/PurpleHeartProject and basically find the information there. Really, this is not a program for somebody that has a little mini scar on the hand. This is really for somebody that has a traumatic scar or wounded from battle. We assess them; we have a panel of our providers that are going to look at them, and they have to submit information. I talk to the veterans, and I do a lot of it on my own free time.

And then we evaluate scars, because sometimes in dermatology, we can treat scars. Some scars, you can use with lasers, sometimes we can do other things, sometimes you can't help. It's more of an education thing that we do, and then we make the treatment plan, what's needed. So it's all complimentary to the vet, and it's our way really to give back to the community and also honor the vets that sacrificed a lot for our country. So that's kind of how we started, and now it's a cooler program, because more people kind of know about it. In fact, hopefully, this interview will maybe raise some awareness or somebody that's out there, and they want to do something similar. I'm happy to help with that.

Dermatology Times: How have your personal experiences shaped your commitment to the Purple Heart project?

Garcia-Zuazaga: For me, it was always all about having a purpose. At Apex, we're a big fan of having a mission or a purpose. That way, we are part of a bigger group. You want to be part of a winning team, usually. And if you're just doing dermatology to do dermatology, punch in and punch out, you can get burnt out very quickly. For us in our group, it's more about trying to rally behind a mission. Our mission an Apex Dermatology is transforming lives through healthy skin, and I really feel that the Purple Heart Project really goes right into that purpose, right on target. It's part of our DNA. We want to transform lives, and what better way of transforming lives than helping somebody who's wounded, and maybe is depressed or maybe has PTSD, and maybe feeling a little bit better about themselves, and maybe understand, "Hey. You know what? I need to seek some help. I'm not alone here. We're going to continue with our life."

For us, that's really the whole point of the project, and sometimes we can't help them. Sometimes we say, "Hey, listen, I can't help you here. You need a plastic surgeon. You need large reconstructions." But sometimes we can, and sometimes we make a little bit of an impact. And if we can do one person, then I feel great. We continue to do that.

In our community, we still are pretty much grassroots. We're not really putting a big banner here: "Hey, this is what we're doing. We're so great." People know how to find us. I have my patients and they say, "Hey, I'm going to have my cousin [come to you]. He was in Iraq. He had a wound." So that's kind of how I find our patients. We do a lot of community service here. Usually on Veterans Day, around the Marine Corps birthday, it's a big time where we go out there and remind people that we're here for that. But it really is a whole year type of thing. It's a whole year thing. We don't just do it only one day.

I don't really have a sense of how much of an impact this has had in our community, but I can tell you that is really touching when I have a patient that we connect, and they say, "Listen, thanks Doc. You really helped me do this," or I see them send me a postcard or a Christmas card and say, "Hey, I'm working here now." It's one of those things that we continue our communication and touch base. That's why I went into medicine. I went into medicine to help people and to make an impact, and that's my way of doing it.

Dermatology Times: How do you hope the Purple Heart Project will expand or evolve over time?

Garcia-Zuazaga: In terms of expanding this project, we've had a couple of people from other states call me up and say, "Hey, listen, how do you do that? I'm interested in helping in something like that." And I'm an open book; I give them my information, I give them how I started it. We've had people from other states sending, "Hey, do you accept donations for that project?" We're not set up for that, at least not yet. I'm always happy to show people how we do it here, so that they can replicate it over there. But really, what it takes is somebody that really has a passion for helping people. You put in your time.

In terms of how dermatologists can impact the veteran community, I would say that most of us are public servants. We do skin cancer screenings already. They do that, or they volunteer their time, or they give a lecture. So I think raising awareness of not just skin cancer, but anything else that can happen for veterans is important. Sometimes, you may be the first line for them [veterans] to see you because they had a skin cancer, and maybe you need to say, "Hey, listen, are you up to date with your age appropriate cancer screenings? Do you need a colonoscopy?" That's what we do. Just because we're dermatologists, it doesn't mean that I'm only going to see that mole you have your back. You have to treat the patient.

I think in this day and age, a lot of dermatologists are very busy. It can be very easy to just stay on your lane and spend 5 minutes with the patient and move on. But I think what makes our specialty a great one is that we recognize internal disease in the outside. Just by us spending the extra 5 minutes to say, "Oh, yeah, that could be lupus," or "We'll send you to rheumatology to see if you have something." So I think just raising awareness of that, because a lot of the vets, you know, they're in areas where there are some environmental factors that sometimes you're exposed to, a lot of our vets talk about Agent Orange back when in the Vietnam War era. Candidly, I had a buddy of mine from my squadron, he was 50 years old, and he just passed from colon cancer. There's a lot of awareness now in people in the aviation community to get earlier colon cancer screening, because you are getting exposed to radiation in that jet.

Again, just paying attention and understanding that the vets are a special group of people that one time in their lifetime they volunteered to give their life for this country, and I think that has a lot of weight, especially in this day and age when the world is how it is. It's a cool thing that we do, and I encourage anybody that's doing derm to do that, too.

[Transcript has been edited for clarity.]

Read the original:

Purple Heart Project Seeks to Provide Veterans With Access to ... - Dermatology Times

Dermatology

Dermatology expert stresses importance of cytology and cultures – DVM 360

At the 2023 New York Vet Show in New York, New York, Andrew Rosenberg, DVM, DACVD, with Animal Dermatology Group, Inc, discussed with dvm360 the importance of cytology in dermatologic testing, plus what's often overlooked in veterinary dermatology.

The following is a transcript of the video.

Andrew Rosenberg, DVM, DACVD: By far, the top dermatology test is cytology. Everything should be "cytologied" in dermatology, it gives us so much information. Most importantly, with ear infections, especially every case of an ear infection should have a cytology performed.

So, there are a few things that are overlooked [in veterinary dermatology]. One important thing I think, is the importance of cytology. Again, almost everything in derm should have a cytology performed. And then I think cultures are really important, too. If you're treating a skin infection or an ear infection, [and] you're really not getting results and resolution, a bacterial culture and sensitivity should be performed which can give us a lot of information.

Read more here:

Dermatology expert stresses importance of cytology and cultures - DVM 360

Dermatology

Shawn Kwatra, MD, Shares Highlights From the 12th World … – Dermatology Times

Shawn Kwatra, MD, associate professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and director of the Johns Hopkins Itch Center, in Baltimore, Maryland, recently attended and presented at the 12th World Congress on Itch in Miami, Florida, held November 5th through the 7th. The international meeting was chaired by Gil Yosipovitch, MD, who was assisted by the local organizing committee of Galit Yosipovitch, MBA, Eng; Leigh Nattkemper, PhD; Ethan Lerner, MD, PhD; and Santosh Mishra, PhD.

At the meeting, Kwatra presented sessions on chronic itch in ethnic populations, emerging pathways in itch, and mastering itch in atopic dermatitis. Kwatra spoke alongside experts in itch, including Daniel Butler, MD; Katja Fischer, PhD; Asit Kumar Mittal, MD; Brian Kim, MD, MTR; Bernhard Homey, MD, PhD; Sarina Elmariah, MD, PhD, MPH; and many others.

Additionally, Kwatra thanks Dr Brian Kim for his dedicated session planning, as well as Sonja Stnder, MD, who presented the important work of the International Dermatology Outcomes Measures Initiative.

Transcript

Shawn Kwatra, MD: Hi I'm Shawn Kwatra, director of the Johns Hopkins Itch Center and also a dermatologist in Baltimore, Maryland.I had the pleasure of serving his faculty and speaking at an incredible meeting, the 12th World Congress on Itch in Miami, Florida, which was November 5th to 7th. I want to give a lot of credit to Dr. Gil Yosipovitch who was the chair of the meeting and who did an incredible job organizing along with Galit Yosipovitch and a great organizing committee with Leigh Nattkemper, Ethan Lerner, and Santosh Mishra, as well. And it was a very incredible meeting spanning all aspects of itch and there were actually world leaders present in many different areas. So, Dr. Brian Kim actually did an incredible job moderating a session about the basic science and neuroimmune regulation of itch. There were world leaders such as Dr. Isaac Chiu, Ru-Rong Ji, Caroline Sokol, also other big heavy hitters like Dr. Mark Hoon, Allan Basbaum, and Xinzhong Dong, so many world leaders in the basic science of itch therapeutics, neuroimmune regulation, and also sensory biology were present, which made this incredible meeting as well as many clinical leaders. So, there was Dr. Jonathan Silverberg and Dr. Amy Paller, Dr. Kenji Kabishima Dr. Sonja Stander, and Elke Weisshaar, who's the President also of the International Forum for the Study of Itch.

It was an incredible meeting that was conducted really with a lot of world leaders. And also, what was interesting was a hot topics session where there was novel data that was released. Dr. Martin Metz really talked about some novel data with the compound barzolvolimab. Tyler Beck who's also an MD, PhD, talked about a novel long-acting release kappa opioid receptor compound, so it was really a jam-packed session all about itch and even talking about the definition of itch upfront by Dr. Sonja Stander as well. Just great sessions across the board at a very high level from both basic science and clinical perspective as well. These are the kinds of meetings where a lot of breakthroughs happen because a lot of collaborations are made. So, it's really an incredible meeting. And I want to make sure I give a lot of credit to Dr. Gil Yosipovitch, Galit Yosipovitch, and all of those other folks who helped organize just a tremendous meeting there are nearly 500 people that attended a strong industry presents as well as well as world leaders, folks from all over the world. It puts itch on the map. We know that there are many therapeutics that are in development for itch and many more coming. This is a huge unmet need in medicine broadly. I think having that industry support is also very important. And it was just a phenomenal meeting

Dermatology Times: What clinical pearls did you share at the 12th World Congress on Itch?

Kwatra: I actually had the pleasure to talk about itch in skin color and ethnic populations. And this is a huge unmet need because what we know is in diseases like atopic dermatitis, the disease disproportionately affects this patient population. There are higher rates of eczema in Black children and adults. Folks are more likely to have persistent atopic dermatitis and develop subsequent asthma as well. And we know that they're actually also important factors genetics, social determinants of health, environment, even exposure to an urban microbiome. And we also know these patients are oftentimes prescribed a lot of our novel cutting-edge therapeutics at less frequent rates. It's a major issue. We also talked about prurigo nodularis, which disproportionately affects Black patients. And these patients actually have a broader immune activation. We shared some novel data from our lab that shows Black patients oftentimes present with more fibrotic nodules as well. So we shared data how in atopic dermatitis, there may be broader immune activation and actually papular involvement that can be on a continuum with prurigo nodularis, and then we shared data how in prurigo nodularis, there are actually genetic studies that are group performed showing that Asian and African patients are more likely to develop PN in the first place, so a genetic polygenic risk score, they present and predicted development. And we also share data on our somatic mutation study. This is work funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Dermatology Foundation, and the Skin of Color Society. So a large coalition of funding that showed in African American patients, there are very unique genes involving epithelial and mesenchymal transition that are affected as well as novel, copy number variations, and we also shared a little bit of our data where we have been following prurigo nodularis patients prospectively and performing immunophenotyping of these patients and also characterizing their response to therapy.

One thing that we are finding is that there seems to be race-based endotypes of the disease in different subsets of patients. So particularly, Asian and Caucasian patients tend to have a little bit higher degree of circulating blood type 2 inflammation than our African American patients. We're excited we'll be sharing more of this data in a more complete manner also at the Skin of Color Society Scientific Symposium at the American Academy of Dermatology, the day before that meeting, so it's a very good opportunity to talk about itch in skin of color, and we highlighted some nuances to treatment. You want to have less of reliance on topical steroids because of the risk of hyperpigmentation. You want to aggressively target inflammation and you also want to view itch as a biomarker or a sensor of disease activity because you can't actually see the erythema as well, the redness as well in skin of color patients, particularly our African American and Black. patients. So knowing that there may be a barrier there, and then acting appropriately; we're prioritizing itch by asking about the symptom, because we know that's also associated with inflammation, so it was a great session. And great to actually get a lot of folks thinking about this topic especially in clinical trials. We alluded to the problem that we're having with the limited numbers of enrollment of minority populations and pivotal phase 3 trials. So, there have been the development of some post approval phase 4 studies, but we also discussed and highlighted how the true goal is to have in our pivotal phase 3 studies, very representative populations and minority populations that mirror you know, the general population as well. We know how these drugs are working properly. We had a great discussion about many different aspects from society to bench to bedside.

[Transcript edited for clarity]

Visit link:

Shawn Kwatra, MD, Shares Highlights From the 12th World ... - Dermatology Times

Dermatology

The Weekly Roundup: November 12-17 – Dermatology Times

Abby L. Allen, RN, NP: Update on Biologics for Atopic Dermatitis

What are some of the challenges and triumphs in using biologics for atopic dermatitis? Abby L. Allen, RN, NP, shares insights at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting.

A poster presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting found once daily roflumilast cream 0.15% safely and significantly improved atopic dermatitis.

Late-breaking data adds important safety and efficacy data for leukotriene receptor antagonists augmentation in chronic urticaria treatment.

Kamran H. Imam, MD, hopes to unlock insights into the atopic disease burden among Native American populations.

Marcella R. Aquino details issues in differential diagnosis for rashes that mimic allergic skin conditions at the ACAAI Annual Meeting.

Session at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting explored issues in understanding and testing for physical urticaria.

Keep up with the latest headlines in dermatology from the past week, including the rise of teledermatology platforms leading patients to opt out of in-person consultations, WHO and ILO estimates of non-melanoma skin cancer deaths attributable to outdoor work in the sun, and more.

In this weeks Pointers With Portela, the 208SkinDoc reviews medical health insurance on his podcast.

2023 has been complete with numerous innovations in the dermatology space, including in atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, alopecia areata, and more.

Dermatology encompasses cosmetics, unregulated products, OTC drugs, OTC devices, prescription devices, and prescription drugs, whether oral, injectable, or topical.

In addition to improvements in work productivity, tildrakizumab also demonstrated significant efficacy and safety.

Bimekizumab is the first dual IL-17 A/F inhibitor to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. It launches with a list price of $7,200 per syringe.

In honor of National Healthy Skin Month, it is the perfect time to encourage patients to integrate gentle laser treatments into their yearly routine to maintain healthy, radiant skin.

Experts discuss insights and hot topics stemming from this year's Science of Skincare Summit, including upcoming innovations and considerations in dermatology.

Label warnings may affect the initiation of new treatment and real-world switching patterns for psoriasis patients starting treatment with risankizumab.

Dermatology Times, the SDPA, and more are celebrating the invaluable contributions of nurse practitioners in dermatology this NP Week (November 12-18).

This weeks collection of the latest dermatologic studies covers atypical molluscum contagiosum lesions with a CD30-positive T-cell lymphoid infiltrate, comorbidities in pediatric psoriasis, tralokinumab for adolescents with severe AD, and intralesional bleomycin combined with lidocaine for recalcitrant keloid scars.

Almirall, Absci Partner to Develop AI-Designed Therapies for Dermatologic Conditions

Experts Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD; Chesahna Kindred, MD, MBA, FAAD; Gary M. Owens, MD; and Renata Block, MMS, PA-C, discuss the evolving landscape of vitiligo, particularly from an economic lens.

There are currently no FDA-approved therapies for the rare, genetic disease.

Experts discuss enhancing patient outcomes, the "mounting mutiny" against topicals, and more.

Baricitinib is more commonly prescribed by dermatologists for patients with alopecia in the US and is projected to maintain a substantial market lead over ritlecitinib.

Findings from a phase 2 trial showed improvements in relapse-free survival with an mRNA vaccine plus Keytruda compared with Keytruda alone in patients with high-risk resected melanoma.

November is Native American Heritage Month. Access to dermatological health care has been a persistent challenge for individuals in the AIAN community.

Hyperhidrosis is not rare. According to the International Hyperhidrosis Society, approximately 385 million people worldwide live with hyperhidrosis.

Germany will be the first country where lebrikizumab will be available for prescription, with a subsequent rollout across European countries throughout 2024.

Jorge Garcia-Zuazaga, MD, MBA, FAAD, FACMS, discusses Apex Dermatology's Purple Heart Project.

Kwatra presented on the unmet need for itch improvement in patients with skin of color.

To stay up-to-date with the latest dermatology news, sign up to receive oureNewsletters.

Original post:

The Weekly Roundup: November 12-17 - Dermatology Times

Dermatology

Almirall, Absci Partner to Develop AI-Designed Therapies for … – Dermatology Times

Absci Corporation, a leader in generative artificial intelligence (AI) drug creation, and Almirall, a global biopharmaceutical company specializing in medical dermatology, have announced1 a strategic partnership aimed at revolutionizing the landscape of dermatological therapeutics. The collaboration seeks to incorporate the power of AI in developing and commercializing treatments for chronic and debilitating skin diseases.

The partnership will combine Abscis Integrated Drug Creation platform with Almiralls expertise in dermatology. The collaboration represents Almiralls inaugural de novo AI drug initiative, marking a shift toward embracing AI-driven innovation in drug development and is aimed at driving innovation in dermatologic drug development.

Read more from Dermatology Times about the use of AI in dermatology here.

Absci's "zero-shot" generative AI, which allows the design and validation of de novo therapeutic antibodies, will be leveraged in the partnership to create therapeutic candidates for 2 specific dermatologic targets.

Earlier this year, Absci announced2 that zero-shot was breakthrough in generative AI drug creation capable of "binding to specific targets without using any training data of antibodies known to bind to those specific targets."

When validated against more than 100,000 antibodies, Absci found that the zero-shot generative AI's hit rate was estimated to be 5 to 30 times greater than the examined biological baselines.

"Almirall chose Absci because their de novo platform brings truly novel innovation in solving the industrys most challenging targets facing high unmet medical need," said Karl Ziegelbauer, PhD, in a press release. Ziegelbauer is Amirall's Executive VP of Research and Development.

"Our partnership underlines Almiralls commitment to target innovative approaches to help patients suffering from severe skin diseases to achieve their dream of leading a healthy life," Ziegelbauer said.

Absci's Founder and CEO, Sean McClain, echoed the sentiment, saying, Our partnership with Almirall marks an important leap forward for dermatologic drug development and is poised to transform the lives of millions managing skin conditions.

References

Continue reading here:

Almirall, Absci Partner to Develop AI-Designed Therapies for ... - Dermatology Times