Brepocitinib Shows Rapid and Sustained Skin Disease Control in Dermatomyositis: JAMA

A new study published in the Journal of American Medical Association showed that the daily administration of brepocitinib at a dosage of 30 mg exhibited swift, long-lasting, and significant enhancement in skin symptoms associated with dermatomyositis, attaining a level of disease control comparable to remission while maintaining a satisfactory safety record.

Dermatomyositis is an inflammatory disease characterized by muscle weakness and distinctive skin manifestations. Persistent skin involvement can cause considerable discomfort, itching, and reduced quality of life, even when other disease symptoms are being treated. Hence, this research assessed the impact of brepocitinib on skin disease activity, itching, quality of life related to the skin, and reaching remission goals in adults with dermatomyositis throughout a 52-week treatment period.

The analysis was based on the phase 3 VALOR trial, conducted between October 2022 and July 2025 across 90 sites in 20 countries. The trial enrolled 241 adults with active skin and muscle disease associated with dermatomyositis. Participants received once-daily brepocitinib at doses of 30 mg or 15 mg, or a placebo.

Patients receiving brepocitinib 30 mg experienced greater improvements in skin disease activity than those receiving placebo. At week 52, the reduction in the Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Disease Area and Severity Index–Activity (CDASI-A) score was greater with brepocitinib, with benefits emerging as early as week 4. A clinically meaningful improvement in skin disease was achieved by 33.3% of participants receiving brepocitinib, when compared to 17.7% in the placebo group.

Complete or near-complete itch remission was reported in 38.3% of patients receiving brepocitinib, when compared to 19.0% of those receiving placebo. Skin-related quality of life improved substantially, with a greater reduction in Skindex-16 scores among patients receiving active treatment. Among participants with moderate to severe skin disease at baseline, brepocitinib was also associated with higher rates of achieving clear or almost clear skin and functional skin remission.

Improvements across the assessed outcomes were observed from week 4 through week 52. Its safety profile was consistent with that of approved JAK and TYK2 inhibitors. Overall, the results indicate that brepocitinib could be a hopeful choice for handling lasting skin issues related to dermatomyositis, tackling both visible signs of the disease and symptoms impacting daily activities. 

Source:

Mangold, A. R., Haemel, A., Shahriari, N., Chong, B., Fernandez, A. P., Fiorentino, D., Pearson, D., Sluzevich, J., Onajin, O., Rambhatla, P. V., Rashighi, M., Hurabielle, C., Fivenson, D., Boh, E., Paravar, T., Crew, A., Flowers, R. H., Taylor, D., Subhadarshani, S., … Werth, V. P. (2026). Skin-specific outcomes of brepocitinib in patients with dermatomyositis: Secondary analysis of a phase 3 randomized clinical trial: Secondary analysis of a phase 3 randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatology (Chicago, Ill.), 162(10), 1026–1033. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2026.3199