Ruxolitinib Cream Provides Rapid and Sustained Relief in Atopic Dermatitis: Study
Canada: Researchers have found in a new study that patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) treated with 1.5% ruxolitinib cream experienced rapid and sustained improvement in itch symptoms, along with significant clinical benefits.
These improvements were associated with favorable changes in biomarkers linked to AD, suggesting that ruxolitinib cream not only relieves symptoms but may also help address underlying disease-related inflammatory processes. The findings, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, come from a study led by Robert Bissonnette from Innovaderm Research, Montreal, Canada, and colleagues.
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition marked by persistent itching and skin inflammation that can significantly affect quality of life. To assess the speed of itch relief and associated biological changes with ruxolitinib cream, researchers conducted the SCRATCH-AD study.
The open-label study included 46 adults with moderate atopic dermatitis and clinically significant itch. Participants applied 1.5% ruxolitinib cream twice daily for 28 days to affected areas covering up to 20% of body surface area, excluding the scalp, palms, soles, genitals, and skin folds.
The primary endpoint was the change in itch severity measured using the Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale. Researchers found a marked reduction in itch as early as Day 2 of treatment.
The study led to the following findings:
- Average itch severity decreased by 3.4 points from baseline by Day 2 and by 5.7 points by Day 29.
- Improvement in current itch was observed as early as 15 minutes after the first application, with a mean reduction of 2.3 points.
- Patients showed improvements in overall atopic dermatitis severity and extent of skin involvement during the treatment period.
- Treatment led to reductions in inflammatory biomarkers associated with atopic dermatitis, including CCL17 and matrix metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12).
- Changes in skin and serum biomarkers correlated with reductions in itch severity and disease activity.
- The findings suggest that clinical improvements were accompanied by measurable biological effects on disease-related inflammatory pathways.
- Ruxolitinib cream was generally well tolerated throughout the study.
- No serious treatment-emergent adverse events were reported.
The investigators noted that the rapid reduction in itch and the accompanying molecular changes suggest that ruxolitinib cream may exert early effects on inflammatory pathways involved in atopic dermatitis. They also observed indications that treatment may support the restoration of healthier skin characteristics.
However, the authors emphasized that the study was conducted at a single center and did not include a vehicle-control group. They stated that larger randomized, blinded, vehicle-controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.
The researchers concluded that 1.5% ruxolitinib cream may represent an effective and well-tolerated option for patients seeking rapid itch relief and improvement in atopic dermatitis symptoms, while also influencing key biological markers associated with the disease.
Reference:
Bissonnette, R., Saint-Cyr Proulx, E., Correa da Rosa, J., Estrada, Y., Ren, H., Nawaz, H., Halden, P., Stefani-Hunyady, D., Popovic, K., Volkova, A., Smith, S. H., & Guttman-Yassky, E. (2026). Ruxolitinib cream demonstrated rapid reductions in itch and atopic dermatitis signs that correlated with biomarkers. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 146(6), 1578-1585.e6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jid.2025.10.613
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