Meet the Expert
Dr Blauvelt on the most exciting news from this year’s AAD
Interview with
Dr Andrew Blauvelt, University of Maryland School of Medicine, MD, USA
At this year’s American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting 2026, Dr Blauvelt highlighted a clear shift towards highly effective oral therapies in psoriasis, particularly next-generation tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitors demonstrating biologic-like efficacy. In atopic dermatitis (AD), he emphasised the growing and increasingly diverse pipeline, including agents such as amlitelimab with potential disease-modifying effects and long-acting interleukin-13 (IL-13) inhibitors. He also pointed to the expansion of treatment options in high-unmet-need areas, such as hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and vitiligo, where oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are expected to play an important role.
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Letter from the Editor
Prof. Peter van de Kerkhof
The AAD 2026 was a major event with broad international participation and presentation of many innovations on inflammatory skin conditions. The AAD 2026 was a major event with broad international participation and presentation of many innovations on inflammatory skin conditions. With the broad range of activities in many inflammatory skin diseases, dermatology is changing fundamentally. In the field of psoriasis, there is a shift from innovations on biologics to small molecules and peptides. Also innovations on non-steroidal topical therapies. Important developments are new drugs targeted, for example, at Janus kinases and TYK-2, which show markedly different treatment outcomes due to distinct interactions with the treatment targets. The fundamental changes in treatment opportunities are now built into clinical practise. The future is now available for patients with inflammatory skin diseases, ready to revolutionise their treatment today.
New Developments in Dermatology
Could an oral targeted therapy finally change the treatment landscape in dermatomyositis?
Presented by
Prof. Ruth Ann Vleugels, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, MA, USA
A first-in-class oral, selective inhibitor of tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2)/Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) achieved clinically meaningful improvements in adults with dermatomyositis who had failed prior therapies in the phase 3 VALOR trial (NCT05437263). The agent also successfully improved dermatologic manifestations, supporting its potential as a targeted treatment option in this difficult-to-treat disease.
New Developments in Dermatology
Oral upadacitinib delivers meaningful repigmentation in non-segmental vitiligo
Presented by
Prof. Thierry Passeron, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, France
The selective Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor upadacitinib produced significantly greater facial and total repigmentation than placebo in adolescents and adults with non-segmental vitiligo across 2 replicate phase 3 trials. Notably, responses continued to deepen through week 48, with no apparent plateau.
New Developments in Dermatology
Novel biologic agent shows promise in severe AA
Presented by
Prof. David Rosmarin, Indiana University School of Medicine, IN, USA
Rezpegaldesleukin led to reductions in Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) scores in the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) cohort. At the higher dose, SALT scores in patients with alopecia areata (AA) decreased by approximately 30% at week 36.
New Developments in Dermatology
CSU: Remibrutinib provides rapid clinical benefit
Presented by
Prof. Ana Giménez-Arnau, Autonomous University and Pompeu Fabra University, Spain
Pooled phase 3 data show that remibrutinib provides rapid and sustained relief in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Safety data up to week 24 also indicate a favourable profile.
Novel Therapies in Eczema and Atopic Dermatitis
Abrocitinib delivers rapid and substantial relief in refractory CHE
Presented by
Dr Robert Bissonnette, Innovaderm Founder and CEO, Canada
Using population-based laboratory and health claims data from Ontario, Canada (2007–2022), investigators identified cases suggesting that MS onset may precede documented primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection.
Novel Therapies in Eczema and Atopic Dermatitis
IL-4/IL-13 inhibitor achieves notable depth and durability of skin clearance in moderate-to-severe AD
Presented by
Prof. Cheng Zhou, Peking University People’s Hospital, China
Rademikibart produced rapid and clinically meaningful improvements in skin clearance and pruritus in adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD). Moreover, response rates continued to deepen over the course of 1 year of treatment.
Novel Therapies in Eczema and Atopic Dermatitis
Amlitelimab: Effective also alongside topical anti-inflammatory treatment
Presented by
Prof. Eric Simpson, Oregon Health and Science University, OR, USA
Findings from the phase 3 COAST-1 (NCT06130566), COAST-2 (NCT06181435), and SHORE (NCT06224348) trials show that the non-depleting anti-OX40L antibody amlitelimab produced steadily improving outcomes in skin signs, lesion severity, and pruritus in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD). The first 2 trials evaluated amlitelimab as monotherapy, while SHORE assessed the agent in combination with topical corticosteroids (TCS).
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Novel Therapies in Eczema and Atopic Dermatitis
Nemolizumab maintains itch relief and skin clearance through 2 years in AD patients
Presented by
Prof. Diamant Thaci, University of Lübeck, Germany
A post hoc analysis of the ARCADIA long-term extension (LTE) programme revealed that the majority of patients who had already responded to nemolizumab maintained both itch relief and skin improvements through 104 weeks of continued therapy [1]. These findings highlight the durability of interleukin-31 (IL-31) receptor blockade as a long-term maintenance strategy in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD).
Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis in 2026
Psoriasis: Selective TYK2 blockade with zasocitinib outperforms apremilast and placebo
Presented by
Dr Melinda Gooderham, SKiN Centre for Dermatology, ON, Canada
Positive results for the treatment of psoriasis with zasocitinib were demonstrated in 2 phase 3 trials. After 16 weeks of treatment with the tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor, approximately 70% of patients achieved clear or almost clear skin on the static Physician Global Assessment (sPGA).
Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis in 2026
Three-year data show lasting efficacy of bimekizumab across PsA domains
Presented by
Prof. Joseph Merola, UT Southwestern Medical Center, TX, USA
New analyses demonstrate that bimekizumab maintains high rates of clinical response across the skin, joints, and nails, irrespective of prior biologic exposure. Biologic-naïve patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), for example, achieved long-term response maintenance rates exceeding 80% in observed cases.
Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis in 2026
Combination of ixekizumab and tirzepatide boosts psoriatic arthritis outcomes
Presented by
Prof. Joseph Merola, UT Southwestern Medical Center, TX, USA
In patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and coexisting overweight or obesity, adding the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist tirzepatide to the interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor ixekizumab substantially improved both articular and metabolic outcomes. In a phase 3 randomised trial, nearly one-third of patients receiving the combination achieved a composite endpoint of the American College of Rheumatology 50% improvement criteria (ACR50) plus ≥10% weight loss at week 36, compared with fewer than 1% of patients receiving ixekizumab monotherapy.
Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis in 2026
Envudeucitinib demonstrates biologic-like efficacy in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis
Presented by
Dr Andrew Blauvelt, University of Maryland School of Medicine, MD, USA
The novel tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor envudeucitinib (ESK-001) produced high levels of skin clearance with a reassuring tolerability profile in the phase 3 ONWARD 1 and 2 trials. By week 24, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90 was achieved by approximately 65% of patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, and complete clearance (PASI 100) by 40% of patients, approaching response levels typically associated with biologic therapy.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa: State of the Art
HS: Extended povorcitinib treatment yields progressive responses through 54 weeks
Presented by
Dr Martina Porter, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
Week 54 data from the STOP-HS trial demonstrate sustained and increasing response rates with povorcitinib therapy. Improvements were observed across Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response (HiSCR), symptom burden, and quality-of-life measures.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa: State of the Art
Sonelokimab delivers deep skin clearance and improves the quality of life in HS patients
Presented by
Prof. Alexa Kimball, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, MA, USA
The interleukin-17A/F (IL-17A/F)-targeting nanobody sonelokimab demonstrated high efficacy in patients with moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) over 40 weeks. Approximately 30% of patients achieved complete clearance across studies, accompanied by marked improvements in patient-reported disease burden.
What Is New in Paediatric Dermatology
Roflumilast cream demonstrates clinical benefit in infants with AD
Presented by
Prof. Lawrence Eichenfield, UC San Diego School of Medicine, CA, USA
Infants treated with topical roflumilast experienced meaningful improvements across multiple efficacy endpoints. The treatment was well tolerated and associated with a low discontinuation rate.
What Is New in Paediatric Dermatology
Nemolizumab shows encouraging results in young children with AD
Presented by
Prof. Lawrence Eichenfield, UC San Diego School of Medicine, CA, USA
Children receiving weight-based nemolizumab achieved rapid improvements in eczema severity and itch. The safety assessment revealed no new safety signals.
