Tim Smith joined the MJH Life Sciences team as an assistant editor for HCPLive in August 2022. He graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in political science, working in multimedia journalism as a staff writer prior to joining MJH. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, watching TV, listening to podcasts, and rock climbing. You can contact him at 

Both acitretin and methotrexate show comparable 2-year drug survival rates among those with 

, new findings suggest, and these rates are superior to those of cyclosporine.

Such conclusions resulted from a recent international, multicenter, retrospective cohort study authored by investigators such as Emmanuel Mahé, MD, PhD, from the Service de Dermatologie at the Hôpital Victor Dupouy in France. Mahé et al conducted this analysis to assess the comparative drug survival of cyclosporine, acitretin, and methotrexate in severe cases of psoriasis in children.

They highlighted these medications as commonly implemented by clinicians for years, noting the lack of large-scale comparisons of their efficacy in pediatric psoriasis prior to this analysis.

 This, Mahé and colleagues expressed, had been a limitation.

“[We] evaluated factors associated with the choice of the first systemic treatment, effectiveness, predictive factors for effectiveness, tolerability and reasons for discontinuation or switching treatments.t,” Mahé and coauthors wrote.

The investigators analysis was titled 'ACMe' (Acitretin, Cyclosporine, Methotrexate), and it was designed as an international, multi-center, real-world, retrospective cohort analysis. Their research was carried out across 5 countries, including Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Portugal. and Canada. The team determined which dermatology centers would take part based on their routine use of methotrexate, acitretin, and cyclosporine in treating pediatric patients living with psoriasis.

Participants were eligible if they had been diagnosed with cutaneous psoriasis and were younger than 18 years when they initiated systemic treatments for the first time. In order for them to be included, the patients were required by Mahé et al to have been given acitretin, methotrexate, or cyclosporine as monotherapy, to have taken the drug for at least a single day, and to have had at least 1 follow-up interaction following their initial prescription.

There were 30 dermatology centers across the aforementioned 5 countries which would contribute data. These data were collected via a standardized form for medications administered to pediatric patients in the period between 2014 - 2024. The analysis concluded with 506 inviduals  included, corresponding to 683 treatment courses.

Specifically, there were 316 treated with acitretin, 245 with methotrexate, and 122 with cyclosporine. By the 2-year mark, Mahé and colleagues found the median drug survival was comparable for those given acitretin (10.8 months) and those given methotrexate (10.9 months), but significantly shorter for cyclosporine (3.9 months; 

Among the leading reasons for discontinuation of treatment, the top examples were shown by the investigative team to be inefficacy for cyclosporine (43.0%) and loss of efficacy for acitretin (27.2%) and methotrexate (31.8%). They did not identify any clinical, demographic, or treatment-related factors as linked to improved persistence of treatment at 6 months.

When acitretin was prescribed as a first-line therapy, drug survival was found to be notably longer (median 11.3 months compared to 5.5 months for second- or later-line use; 

 < .001). However, the investigators did not identify differences between methotrexate and cyclosporine by line of therapy. Adverse events (AEs) resulted in drug discontinuation among 13.8% of those treated with acitretin, 23.1% of those on methotrexate, and 14.0% of those on cyclosporine (

 = .02). A single serious AE, which was determined to be hepatitis, was observed in the methotrexate cohort.

Overall, Mahé and coauthors found acitretin and methotrexate demonstrated similar 2-year drug survival rates, pointing to both outperforming cyclosporine. They did not identify any predictive factors for prolonged duration, except for acitretin’s use as an initial therapy. AEs were a common rationale for patients' choice to discontinue.

“These findings may aid in developing algorithms to formulate recommendations for systemic treatments in managing severe psoriasis in paediatric patients,” Mahé et al concluded.

Miao Y, Beauchet A, Yesli Y, et al. Drug survival of systemic treatments for severe paediatric psoriasis: An international retrospective study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2025; 00: 1–15. 

Ergun T, Seckin Gencosmanoglu D, Sarioz A, et al. Efficacy, safety and drug survival of conventional agents in pediatric psoriasis: A multicenter, cohort study. J Dermatol. 2017 Jun;44(6):630-634. doi: 10.1111/1346-8138.13713. Epub 2016 Dec 10. PMID: 27943425.

Articles

A recent international, multicenter, retrospective cohort study compared the drug survival rates of acitretin, methotrexate, and cyclosporine in pediatric psoriasis. The study found that acitretin and methotrexate had comparable 2-year drug survival rates, both outperforming cyclosporine. The analysis included 506 patients across five countries, with 683 treatment courses. Inefficacy and loss of efficacy were common reasons for discontinuation, and adverse events led to discontinuation in a significant number of cases. Acitretin showed longer drug survival when used as a first-line therapy.

Plaque Psoriasis

The HCPLive plaque psoriasis page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on psoriasis. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for psoriatic disease, and more.

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Acitretin, Methotrexate Show Greater Maintenance Versus Cyclosporine in Pediatric Psoriasis

Chelsie Derman is an associate editor for 

who covers psychiatry, sleep medicine, geriatrics, migraine, and allergy. She joined MJH Life Sciences in September 2023 after graduating from The College of New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and professional writing. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing and reading.

A study showed that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) provides acute and sustained clinically meaningful improvements in quality of life among younger and older adults with

“The magnitude of improvement was comparable to, or exceeded, that reported in antidepressant trials,” wrote study investigator Katharina Göke, PhD candidate, from the University of Toronto, and colleagues.

Repetitive TMS may be a well-established, FDA-approved intervention for treatment-resistant depression, but its impact on patient-reported outcomes, including quality of life, has not been fully explored.

 Investigators sought to compare the impact of repetitive TMS quality of life in younger and older adults with major depressive disorder (MDD).

The sample included 531 participants aged 18 – 89 years from the randomized clinical trials THREE-D and FOUR-4. In those trials, participants received either unilateral or bilateral repetitive TMS or theta burst stimulation.

Investigators evaluated quality of life using the Quality-of-Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire – Short Form at baseline, end of treatment, and the 12-week follow-up. The team then compared quality of life between younger adults (< 60 years; n = 360) and older adults (age ≥ 60 years; n = 171).

The clinical significance of these quality-of-life changes was assessed using effect sizes, with a predefined threshold of 12 points set as the minimal clinically important difference. Investigators also assessed the significance of these changes by comparing results to community norms.

Following repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, both younger and adult adults displayed statistically significant improvements in quality of life, with medium to large effect sizes.

Participants had sustained improvements over the 12 weeks of follow-up. At baseline, only 0.3% of younger adults and 2.3% of older adults reported a normal quality of life, which significantly increased to 19.8% and 19.4%, respectively, at the end of treatment. At the 12-week follow-up, 23.7% and 26.8% of younger and older adults, respectively, reported a normal quality of life.

Not only does this show repetitive TMS steadily improve quality of life in younger and older adults, but younger patients are more likely to have impaired quality of life than older adults.

“These findings suggest that younger adults are at greater risk of severe QoL impairment, possibly due to the more severe depressive symptoms observed in this age group,” investigators wrote.

The differences observed in depressive symptom severity in this study may reflect the differing inclusion criteria of the THREE-D and FOUR-D trials. Specifically, THREE-D required a baseline HRSD-17 score of ≥18, whereas FOUR-D required a MADRS score of ≥18, which is equivalent to an HRSD-17 score of 14. This discrepancy likely explains why younger participants in our sample were more severely depressed than older participants.

Younger and older adults had slight differences in effect sizes when it came to improvement. Investigators found medium to large effect sizes in younger adults and medium effect sizes in older adults.

“This small difference may be explained by the higher baseline QoL in the older adult group, making improvements appear less pronounced relative to the younger adult group,” investigators wrote.

Overall, younger and older adults demonstrated clinically meaningful improvement in quality of life, with 49.2% and 42.9% of the age groups, respectively, exceeding the threshold for an MCID of a 12-point change on the Q-LES-Q. This threshold equates to at least a “minimally improved” score on the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement Score.

The study saw that the magnitude of change was larger for depression. Effect sizes were medium to large for quality of life (Cohen’s d = 0.70–0.81) and even larger for depression severity (d = 0.91–1.16), indicating that while both outcomes improved, depressive symptoms showed a stronger relative change. However, quality of life continued to improve over the 12-week follow-up, a pattern generally not seen with depressive symptoms.

“This temporal pattern, together with the larger effect sizes observed for depressive symptoms relative to QoL and their strong correlation, supports the notion that QoL improvements are largely driven by preceding symptom reduction, although the relationship between QoL and depressive symptoms is likely bidirectional,” investigators wrote.

Göke K, Downar J, Vila-Rodriguez F, et al. The effects of rTMS on self-reported quality of life in younger and older adults with major depressive disorder. 

Mayo Clinic. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. Mayoclinic.org. Published November 27, 2023. 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/transcranial-magnetic-stimulation/about/pac-20384625

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been shown to significantly improve quality of life in both younger and older adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). The study involved 531 participants from the THREE-D and FOUR-4 trials, assessing quality of life changes using the Quality-of-Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire. Both age groups exhibited medium to large effect sizes in quality of life improvements, with sustained benefits over 12 weeks. Younger adults showed more severe depressive symptoms, potentially explaining their greater quality of life impairment compared to older adults.

Study finds repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation brings clinically meaningful improvements in quality of life for adults with MDD through 12 weeks.

Psychiatry

Psychiatry condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on mental illnesses. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and more.

Major Depressive Disorder

Major Depressive Disorder condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into depression can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on MDD research, treatment, and drug development.

Repetitive TMS Boosts Quality of Life in Younger, Older Adults with Depression

Each week, we highlight 5 key developments or headlines from healthcare that you need to know—whether it's a cutting-edge treatment, regulatory updates, or innovations shaping the future of medicine. This week's top stories include the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acceptance of a supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) seeking approval for insulin human (Afrezza) Inhalation Powder in children and adolescents living with 

, approval of a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) updating the indication statement for upadacitinib (Rinvoq) for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely 

active ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD)

, and clearance of the Elecsys pTau181 test for ruling out 

-related amyloid pathology, as well as phase 3 data demonstrating the benefits of a prescription digital therapeutic for 

With The HCPFive, you'll get the essential takeaways to stay informed and ahead of the curve. Here’s your quick dive into the top stories for the week of October 12, 2025—let’s jump in!

FDA Accepts Inhaled Insulin (Afrezza) sBLA for Pediatric Diabetes

On October 13, 2025, MannKind Corporation announced the FDA acceptance of the sBLA seeking approval for insulin human (Afrezza) Inhalation Powder in children and adolescents living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The application is supported by results from the phase 3, 26-week, open-label INHALE-1 study and, with the acceptance, has been assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of May 29, 2026.

FDA Approves Updated Indication for Upadacitinib (Rinvoq) in IBD

On October 13, 2025, the FDA approved a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) updating the indication statement for AbbVie’s upadacitinib (Rinvoq) for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active UC and CD. The new statement allows the use of upadacitinib after patients have received ≥ 1 approved systemic therapy in the event tumor necrosis factor blockers are clinically inadvisable. Previously, upadacitinib was only indicated for adults who had an inadequate response or intolerance to ≥ 1 blockers.

FDA Clears First Blood Test to Rule Out Alzheimer-Related Amyloid Pathology

The FDA cleared the Elecsys pTau181 test, the first blood test to rule out Alzheimer-related amyloid pathology. Intended for patients aged ≥ 55 years with presenting Alzheimer Disease symptoms, the test can assist the initial assessment for Alzheimer Disease and other causes of cognitive decline in the primary care setting.

Digital Therapeutic Reduces Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia in Phase 3 Trial

On October 13, 2025, Boehringer Ingelheim and Click Therapeutics announced phase 3 data showing their investigational prescription digital therapeutic, used as an adjunct to antipsychotic therapy, significantly reduced experiential negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. The data were presented at the 38th Annual European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress in Amsterdam.

APPLAUSE-IgAN: Iptacopan (Fabhalta) Meets eGFR Decline Primary Endpoint

On October 16, 2025, Novartis announced positive final results from the phase 3 APPLAUSE-IgAN study of iptacopan (Fabhalta) in adults with IgAN. In the trial, the oral alternative complement pathway inhibitor demonstrated statistically significant, clinically meaningful superiority compared to placebo in slowing IgAN progression measured by annualized total slope of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline over 2 years. Of note, Novartis plans to use these data to support regulatory submissions for iptacopan in 2026.

MannKind. MannKind Announces U.S. FDA Accepts for Review its Supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Inhaled Insulin (Afrezza) in Children and Adolescents Aged 4-17 Years Living with Diabetes. October 13, 2025. Accessed October 17, 2025. 

https://investors.mannkindcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/mannkind-announces-us-fda-accepts-review-its-supplemental

AbbVie. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approves Updated Indication Statement for RINVOQ® (upadacitinib) for the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. October 13, 2025. Accessed October 17, 2025. 

https://news.abbvie.com/2025-10-13-U-S-Food-and-Drug-Administration-FDA-Approves-Updated-Indication-Statement-for-RINVOQ-R-upadacitinib-for-the-Treatment-of-Inflammatory-Bowel-Disease

Roche’s Elecsys® pTau181 becomes the only FDA-cleared blood test for use in primary care to rule out Alzheimer’s-related amyloid pathology. Diagnostics. Published October 6, 2025. Accessed October 17, 2025. 

https://diagnostics.roche.com/us/en/news-listing/2025/fda-cleared-ptau181-alzheimers-blood-test.html

Boehringer. Boehringer and Click Therapeutics present pivotal data for investigational prescription digital therapeutic CT-155 showing a statistically significant reduction in negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Prnewswire.com. Published October 13, 2025. Accessed October 17, 2025. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boehringer-and-click-therapeutics-present-pivotal-data-for-investigational-prescription-digital-therapeutic-ct-155-showing-a-statistically-significant-reduction-in-negative-symptoms-of-schizophrenia-302582119.html

Novartis. Novartis Fabhalta® (iptacopan) meets Phase III primary endpoint, slows kidney function decline in patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN). October 16, 2025. Accessed October 17, 2025. 

https://www.novartis.com/news/media-releases/novartis-fabhalta-iptacopan-meets-phase-iii-primary-endpoint-slows-kidney-function-decline-patients-iga-nephropathy-igan

Recent developments in healthcare include FDA acceptance of a supplemental biologics license application for Afrezza Inhalation Powder for pediatric diabetes, and approval of an updated indication for upadacitinib in inflammatory bowel disease. The FDA also cleared the Elecsys pTau181 test for ruling out Alzheimer-related amyloid pathology. Additionally, phase 3 data showed a digital therapeutic reduced negative symptoms in schizophrenia, and iptacopan demonstrated efficacy in slowing IgA nephropathy progression. These advancements highlight significant progress in treatment options and diagnostic tools across various medical conditions.

Stay updated with the latest healthcare breakthroughs, including FDA updates and phase 3 trial readouts, in this week's essential news roundup.

Endocrinology

The HCPLive endocrinology page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on endocrine system conditions. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for diabetes, hormonal disease, and more.

Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on digestive and GI conditions. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for 

, IBS and IBD, Crohn's disease, and more.

Geriatrics

Geriatric medicine condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on frequent geriatric-related diseases and conditions. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for sleep disorder, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and more.

Nephrology

The HCPLive nephrology page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on kidney disease. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments in nephrology, and more.

The HCPFive: Top News for Healthcare Providers from the Week of 10/12

Anjali Vaidya, MD, is the director of the Advanced Pulmonary Hypertension, Right Heart Failure & CTEPH Program and the Pulmonary Hypertension Fellowship at Temple University Hospital and a professor of medicine at Temple University

Shifting Focus to Pulmonary Hypertension in Right Heart Assessment, With Anjali Vaidya, MD

In March 2025, the American Society of Echocardiography introduced a revised version of its Echocardiographic Assessment of the Right Heart Guidelines, which highlighted 

 as a critical indicator in patients with or at risk for 

Right heart adaptation to pulmonary hypertension is a major determinant for clinical outcomes, morbidity, and mortality in patients with, or at risk of, cardiopulmonary disease. The hemodynamic definition of pulmonary hypertension was recently updated, setting it at a resting mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) >20 mm Hg, which was done in response to extensive evidence of adverse outcomes and mortality in patients with mPAP between 21 and 24 mm Hg.

The updated guidelines were presented and broken down at the Pulmonary Hypertension Professional Network Symposium by Anjali Vaidya, MD, director of the advanced pulmonary hypertension, right heart failure & CTEPH program and the pulmonary hypertension fellowship at Temple University.

 met with Vaidya to discuss her presentation and how clinicians should interpret and utilize these new guidelines to provide better and more efficacious treatment for their patients.

“There is an emphasis on using the echocardiogram, not just for initial diagnosis, but for long-term follow-up of patients to really get a finer, more accurate, precise assessment of a patient’s overall risk with pulmonary hypertension,” Vaidya told 

. “And the shift has really happened in the field away from simply relying on how a patient feels and how far they can walk, to looking at the right side of the heart in very specific detail to determine if patients have adequately reached their lowest risk status.”

In addition to these changes, the stated goals of the guideline revision are as follows:

To describe the updated pulmonary hypertension classification and how the right heart adapts to emerging PVD, focusing on structural and functional changes in response to increased afterload

To define optimal acoustic windows and echocardiographic views and parameters required for right heart evaluation

To provide reference values for normality and grade abnormality

To present recommendations for assessing tricuspid and pulmonic valve disease and special considerations in pulmonary hypertension

To propose standard image acquisition and reporting for right-sided measures in clinical practice

To establish the role of echocardiography in screening, detection, and monitoring of therapeutic response and prognostication of pulmonary hypertension.

Additionally, the authors included updated equations and methods by which clinicians can calculate and measure other critical factors, including pulmonary vascular resistance, pulmonary artery end-diastolic pressure, and right atrial pressure.

“These guidelines and the increased awareness of applying these clinical principles using echocardiography should lead to patients getting more high-level expert care,” Vaidya said. “The goal is not to just help them feel better when they’re worse, but to maintain their low-risk status and wellness for an even longer period of time.”

Mukherjee M, Rudski LG, Addetia K, et al. Guidelines for the Echocardiographic Assessment of the Right Heart in Adults and Special Considerations in Pulmonary Hypertension: Recommendations from the American Society of Echocardiography. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2025;38(3):141-186. 

Videos

Vaidya describes the prognostic approach to pulmonary hypertension in the revised Echocardiographic Assessment of the Right Heart Guidelines.

Cardiology

Cardiology condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for heart disease and cardiovascular events, as well as associated diabetes, renal failure, and more...

Hypertension

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Deuruxolitinib 8 mg twice daily shows the greatest short-term efficacy among approved oral Janus-Kinase (JAK)-inhibitors for 

These data on JAK inhibitor use for severe alopecia resulted from a new systematic review and meta-analysis, authored by investigators such as Yssra Soliman, MD, of Thomas Dermatology in Nevada. Soliman and coauthors highlighted that there had previously been a lack of head-to-head randomized controlled trials (RCTs), limiting evidence-based decisions on medications.

Previous meta-analyses had also not excluded data on certain oral JAK inhibitors or incorporated data from agents and dosing regimens that were investigational, abandoned, shown not to be effective, or linked with safety profiles deemed unacceptable.

“This focused research fills a critical knowledge gap in the literature by comparing the relative efficacy of oral JAKIs using advanced Bayesian statistical techniques and anchor placebo-controlled data,” the investigators wrote.

 “The results of this analysis are intended to inform evidence-based clinician decision-making and treatment guidelines and establish future research priorities, particularly for optimizing dose selection and long-term management of patients with severe [alopecia areata].”

The investigative team's systematic review (CRD420251116775) also included a meta-analysis of available RCTs assessing US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), or Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)–approved oral JAK inhibitors (JAKis) for the management of severe alopecia areata.

Research deemed eligible by the team had involved subjects with baseline scalp hair loss and data which reported 24-week outcomes. Interventions considered by Soliman and coauthors were baricitinib 2 mg as well as 4 mg once-per-day (QD), ritlecitinib 50 mg QD, and deuruxolitinib 8 mg twice-per-day (BID), each compared against placebo. 

The investigators carried out a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL, looking at research from database inception through July 2025. They also implemented ClinicalTrials.gov and accessed abstracts from major dermatology conference proceedings. Screening of available data was conducted by 2 independent reviewers, and any disagreements were resolved through discussion or by a third reviewer.

Risk of bias for included trials was assessed by Soliman et al via the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. In the team's network meta-analysis (NMA), only studies reporting placebo-controlled 24-week outcomes on SALT ≤ 10 and ≤ 20 were eligible for inclusion. The feasibility for any indirect comparisons was determined by the investigative team through assessment of clinical and methodological similarity across studies. Research that did not meet similarity assumptions or lacked network connectivity were excluded from the primary NMA.

Inclusion of 7 RCTs comprising 4560 participants took place, and Soliman and colleagues determined deuruxolitinib 8 mg BID showed statistically significant superiority over baricitinib 2 mg and 4 mg for both SALT endpoints. The investigators also highlighted comparisons with ritlecitinib 50 mg which favored deuruxolitinib directionally.

However, they did note differences were shown not to be statistically significant in the NMA and ML-NMR models. MAIC analyses suggested greater odds of SALT ≤ 20 attainment via deuruxolitinib compared to baricitinib 2 mg (OR = 71.55) and compared to ritlecitinib (OR = 18.27). Surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) rankings consistently placed deuruxolitinib as the most effective JAK inhibitor.

Among currently approved oral JAKis, deuruxolitinib 8 mg BID appeared in the analysis to provide the greatest short-term efficacy for those living with severe disease. These findings may allow for preliminary guidance for treatment selection, yet the investigative team highlighted the need to consider these data as exploratory until further confirmation is available.

“Despite limitations inherent to indirect comparisons and short-term follow-up, this study fills a critical gap in comparative effectiveness data for approved JAKIs and provides timely, clinically relevant insights for guiding treatment decisions in [alopecia areata],” they wrote.

 “Future research must address long-term outcomes and head-to-head comparisons to build upon these foundational results.”

A Babul, D Mehta, Y Soliman, et al. Comparative Efficacy of Janus Kinase Inhibitors Indicated for Severe Alopecia Areata: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis and Matching-Adjusted Indirect Comparison. The Journal of Dermatology (2025): 1–13, 

Yan T, Wang T, Liu N, et al. Comparative efficacy and safety of JAK inhibitors in the treatment of moderate-to-severe alopecia areata: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Front Pharmacol. 2024 Apr 10;15:1372810. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1372810. PMID: 38659584; PMCID: PMC11039836.

Deuruxolitinib 8 mg twice daily demonstrates the highest short-term efficacy among approved oral JAK inhibitors for severe alopecia areata, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis. The study addresses the lack of head-to-head RCTs and previous meta-analyses' limitations by using advanced Bayesian statistical techniques. The analysis included seven RCTs with 4560 participants, showing deuruxolitinib's superiority over baricitinib and ritlecitinib. Despite limitations, these findings provide preliminary guidance for treatment selection, emphasizing the need for further research on long-term outcomes and direct comparisons.

This systematic review and network meta-analysis was conducted to establish a hierarchy among approved oral JAK inhibitors for severe alopecia areata in adults.

Alopecia

Deuruxolitinib Shows Greatest Short-Term Efficacy Among JAKis for Severe Alopecia Areata

Victoria Johnson joined the MJH Life Sciences in 2020 and has written for NeurologyLive, CGTLive, and now HCPLive. You can reach her at vjohnson@mjhlifesciences.com

Tezepelumab is the first TSLP-targeting biologic to be approved for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal poylps.

FDA News

Pulmonology

Infectious Disease condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on respiratory health. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for asthma, COPD, interstitial lung disease, COVID-19, and more.

FDA Approval Adds Tezepelumab to CRSwNP Treatment Landscape

Post-hoc analysis of a phase 3 trial reveals significant improvements in patients with MDD experiencing tachyphylaxis.

 Esmethadone Shows Promise as Adjunctive Treatment for Antidepressant Tolerance

Abigail Brooks is an assistant managing editor for 

She joined MJH Life Sciences in August 2023 shortly after graduating from Monmouth University where she earned her BA in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations/Journalism and later an MA in Interactive Digital Media. She enjoys traveling, running, and reading books. She can be reached at abrooks@mjhlifesciences.com.

Findings from the quality improvement study provide real-world data supporting empirical donor exclusion and multiple-dose capsule FMT to increase CDI cure rates.

C Difficile Infection

C. difficile condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into Clostridium difficile can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on C. diff research, treatment, and drug development.

Empirical Donor Selection, 2-Dose Capsule FMT Regimen Improve C Diff Cure Rates

Justin Ezekowitz, MD, is a professor of medicine at University of Alberta and a cardiologist at the University of Alberta Hospital and Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute

Ezekowitz spotlights improvement in cardiovascular mortality and heart failure hospitalization despite a failure to achieve the primary endpoint of VICTOR.

Heart Failure

The HCPLive heart failure page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on HF. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for heart disease, reduced and preserved ejection fraction, and more.

Conference

 conference coverage page features articles, videos, and expert-led live coverage from major medical meetings throughout the year.

Vericiguat Improves HFrEF Regardless of Background Therapy, With Justin Ezekowitz, MD

The FDA approved expanded indications for adalimumab-aaty (Yuflyma) and its unbranded version to include the treatment of adolescent HS and pediatric UV.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Hidradenitis Suppurativa condition center page, audiences can find a variety of coverage mediums for medical news and updates, including articles, video interviews, podcasts, and breaking news on dermatology research, treatment, and drug development.

Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into ophthalmic disease can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on eye disease research, treatment, and drug development.

Uveitis

The HCPLive uveitis page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on chorioretinitis. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for eye inflammation, and more.

FDA Approves Adalimumab-aaty (Yuflyma) Pediatric Indications in Hidradenitis Suppurativa, Uveitis

This systematic review and meta-analysis of available randomized controlled trials compared biologics for psoriasis, such as ixekizumab, secukinumab, and ustekinumab.

Biologics Compared in Systematic Review for Moderate-to-Severe Pediatric Psoriasis

Panelists discuss how second-generation PDE4 inhibitors, such as orismilast, aim to improve upon apremilast’s efficacy while maintaining safety, with phase 2 data showing PASI 75 rates up to 50%.

Video Series

Peers Perspectives

Expert Perspectives on Investigational PDE4 Inhibitors in Psoriasis

A new study found that adjunct omalizumab helped most patients safely continue honeybee venom immunotherapy after prior severe allergic reactions.

Allergy

Allergy condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on allergic and inflammatory diseases. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for food and seasonal allergies, as well as allergic asthma and related conditions.

Anaphylaxis

The HCPLive anaphylaxis page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on acute allergic reactions. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for preventing anaphylaxis, and more.

Omalizumab May Improve Tolerance to Venom Immunotherapy

Panelists discuss how emerging TYK2 inhibitors such as brepocitinib and ESK001 target the JAK/STAT pathway to block IL-23 and IL-17 signaling, showing promising phase 2 results with PASI 100 rates around 33% and PASI 75 rates of 64%.

Expert Perspectives on Investigational TYK2 Inhibitors in Psoriasis

Ronald Witteles, MD, is a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford Amyloid Center and the Stanford Multidisciplinary Sarcoidosis Program

Witteles highlights the uniform improvement after the tafamidis and vutrisiran arms were both moved to the same vutrisiran dose.

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