The drug targets a future in the immune system that activates a chemical that causes itching and inflammation, helping to relieve the bothersome symptoms of eczema and improve patients' quality of life.
In the study, researchers analyzed data from clinical trials involving approximately 2,300 people, and the results showed:
Relief from itching within 48 hours:
Eczema: 11% of patients versus 3% in the placebo group.
Nodular pruritus: 17% vs. less than 4% in the placebo.
Improve sleep quality within 48 hours:
Eczema: 10% vs. less than 5% in the placebo.
Nodular pruritus: Over 13% versus about 4% in the placebo.
Within two weeks, a quarter of eczema patients and more than a third of itchy nodular patients showed significant improvement in both itching and sleep.
The researchers confirmed that itching is the most bothersome symptom in patients with atopic dermatitis and pruritus nodosa, and that rapid improvement in its severity is a key therapeutic goal.
They added that treatments that quickly relieve itching and improve patients' quality of life are a key element in the current treatment landscape for these cases.
Dr. Christophe Piketty, head of the therapeutic dermatology program at the Swiss company Galderma, which developed the drug, said: "This new data reinforces our understanding of the rapid effect of nimolizumab in relieving itching and thus improving sleep quality in patients with atopic dermatitis and pruritus nodosum."
It is worth noting that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved nimolizumab in 2024 for the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (eczema) and associated nodular pruritus, according to Drugs.com.
The study was published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.
