Current pharmaceutical developments in atopic dermatitis

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory, pruritic, chronic or chronically relapsing skin disease that typically begins in early childhood and is occurring frequently in families with other atopic diseases (bronchial asthma and/or allergic rhino-conjunctivitis). Thanks to immunological and neurobiological research, the era of new treatments is coming as well as it occurred with psoriasis 15 years ago. Many treatments targeting cytokines (IL-4, IL-13, IL-31, TSLP) or neurotransmitters (substance P, opioids) or their respective receptors as well as phosphodiesterase-4 or the Jak/Stat pathways are under development. Antagonists of cytokines and anti-jak have promising effects on pruritus while it is more difficult to discriminate the effects of other drugs from the placebo effect on itch, which is known to be high.