LEBRIKIZUMAB maintained long-term skin clearance and itch improvements in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), with most early responders sustaining deep responses and relatively few experiencing disease flares over three years.
Researchers analysed week 16 responders from the ADvocate1 and ADvocate2 trials who continued maintenance lebrikizumab every four weeks (Q4W) or every two weeks (Q2W) in the ADjoin extension study. Responders had achieved clear or almost clear skin, or at least a 75% improvement in the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI 75), without rescue medication.
After 152 weeks of continuous treatment, 88.6% of Q4W responders and 80.0% of Q2W responders maintained at least a 90% improvement in EASI (EASI 90). Complete improvement in EASI scores (EASI 100) was maintained by 64.3% and 68.8%, respectively.
Response stability was assessed by whether patients maintained specified outcomes at least 80% of attended visits between week 16 and week 152. Among patients who had achieved EASI 90 at week 16, stable responses were observed in 77.8% receiving Q4W treatment and 81.1% receiving Q2W treatment. For those who initially achieved EASI 100, the corresponding proportions were 57.9% and 63.6%.
Improvements in itch-related outcomes were also sustained, following patterns similar to those seen for skin clearance. The analysis additionally assessed measures including Investigator’s Global Assessment scores, patient-reported eczema severity, and itch ratings, providing a broader picture of long-term disease control.
Among patients receiving Q4W treatment who maintained EASI 75, 72.8% experienced no flare through week 152. The reported flare incidence was 0.19 per patient-year, equivalent to approximately one flare per five patient-years. Flare definitions included rescue treatment use, high-potency topical corticosteroids or systemic intervention, and adverse events associated with worsening AD.
The findings suggest that continued lebrikizumab treatment can sustain skin and itch improvements for up to three years among patients who respond by week 16. However, the analysis focused on early responders who continued treatment, so the results may not reflect outcomes for all patients starting lebrikizumab. The findings support further assessment of long-term response durability and flare patterns in clinical practice.
Reference
Gold LS et al. Lebrikizumab provides stable and deep long-term response with no/minimal fluctuations up to 3 years in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2026;DOI:10.1007/s13555-026-01962-0.
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