AAD 2026: 6 Atopic Dermatitis Trials to Know

Atopic dermatitis commanded a substantial share of the late-breaking program at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting held in Denver, Colorado, from March 27-31, with data spanning the full arc of the therapeutic pipeline — from approved agents accumulating long-term real-world and extension data to investigational mechanisms that could reshape how the disease is managed altogether. Two themes ran through much of the atopic dermatitis program: the continued push to extend treatment options to younger pediatric populations, where approved choices remain limited, and a growing body of evidence on durability that moves the field's benchmark from short-term response to sustained, multi-year disease control. Here are 6 updates from the meeting that clinicians managing atopic dermatitis should know.

1. Tapinarof Cream Clears Skin, Eases Itch Within 1 Week in Kids as Young as 2

Data from the pivotal phase 3 ADORING 1 and ADORING 2 trials, discussed at AAD 2026 by Linda Stein Gold, MD, director of dermatology clinical research at Henry Ford Health System, showed that once-daily tapinarof cream 1% demonstrated early and sustained improvements in both disease signs and symptoms, including itch, in patients aged 2 years and older with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis — a population in which approximately 80% of trial participants were children or adolescents and the study cohort was racially and ethnically diverse with high representation of patients with skin of color. Clinical improvements were observed as early as week 1, with skin clearance and itch relief continuing to accrue over the full 8-week treatment period. The nonsteroidal mechanism addresses a longstanding need for steroid-sparing topical options that can be applied continuously to any body site, including the face, without the safety concerns that have historically limited corticosteroid use in young children.

2. Late-Breaking Data Highlight Nemolizumab Efficacy in Children With Atopic Dermatitis

Phase 2 data presented in a late-breaking session by Lawrence Eichenfield, MD, professor of dermatology and pediatrics at UC San Diego and chief of pediatric dermatology at Rady Children's Hospital, showed that nemolizumab was well tolerated and effective in children aged 2 to 11 years with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, producing clinically meaningful and sustained reductions in skin lesions and itch for up to a year. IGA 0/1 was observed as early as week 4, with 41–47% of patients achieving it by week 16 — responses sustained through week 52. Skin lesion reductions were considered clinically meaningful at week 4 and were sustained through week 52, and clinically meaningful reductions in itch were noted at week 1 and similarly sustained through week 52, with no serious adverse events reported. The findings extend nemolizumab's established profile in adults and adolescents down to a younger population with limited approved options, setting the stage for potential label expansion of the IL-31Rα antagonist.

3. REZOLVE-AD: Rezpegaldesleukin Shows Consistent Efficacy Across Atopic Dermatitis Severity

Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, MSCI, FAAD, associate professor at Rosalind Franklin University and founder and director of the Center for Medical Dermatology and Immunology Research in Chicago, presented phase 2b REZOLVE-AD findings showing rezpegaldesleukin achieved dose-dependent, statistically significant improvements in atopic dermatitis outcomes across both moderate and severe disease — with consistent EASI responses observed regardless of baseline severity, geographic region, or asthma comorbidity status. On the primary endpoint, the highest-dose arm achieved a 61% mean EASI reduction versus 31% for placebo (P <.001). Chovatiya highlighted the consistency across baseline vIGA scores of 3 and 4 as a potential differentiator from standard-of-care biologics, which can show attenuated responses in more severe patients. The phase 3 ZENITH-AD program is in final planning with initiation expected in Q2 2026, with Chovatiya noting that the Treg-modulating mechanism raises the prospect of extended dosing intervals or treatment breaks — a meaningfully different proposition from the continuous cytokine inhibition model that defines the current standard of care.

4. TRACE: Tralokinumab Data for Atopic Dermatitis in Skin of Color

A post-hoc analysis from the TRACE real-world study, presented by April Armstrong, MD, MPH, professor and chief of dermatology at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine, found that 80.4% of patients with skin of color and moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis who were treated with tralokinumab achieved at least 1 clinically meaningful disease control endpoint — defined as IGA 0/1, EASI ≤7, or SCORAD <10 — at 12 months. Across the overall study population of 824 patients, 91% achieved at least 1 moderate treatment target after 12 months of tralokinumab use, with approximately three-quarters meeting both clinician-reported and patient-reported moderate endpoints and nearly half attaining optimal targets consistent with minimal disease activity. The skin of color analysis carries particular clinical weight given the historically underrepresented enrollment of Fitzpatrick type IV–VI patients in AD trials and the distinct disease manifestations — including lichenification and postinflammatory dyspigmentation — that can complicate assessment and management in this population.

5. RADIANT-AD: Rademikibart Effective Over 52 Weeks in Atopic Dermatitis

Cheng Zhou, MD, of Peking University People's Hospital and an investigator in the RADIANT-AD trial, described phase 3 results showing rademikibart produced rapid, clinically meaningful improvements in adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, with responses that continued to deepen and were sustained through 52 weeks rather than reaching an early plateau. EASI-75 response at week 16 was 74.2% versus 34.4% for placebo, with antipruritic effects and skin lesion clearance also observed at week 16 and maintained through week 52. Notably, rademikibart was associated with lower rates of conjunctivitis — 3.9% at week 16 and 6.3% at week 52 — compared with other agents in its class, addressing a known concern with IL-4/IL-13 pathway inhibition. No FDA submission timeline has been publicly disclosed, as the trial was conducted in China by partner Simcere Pharmaceutical.

6. Lebrikizumab for Atopic Dermatitis Leads to 4 Years of Clearance, Itch Reduction

Interim findings from the first year of the ongoing phase 3b ADlong study, presented at AAD, showed that 94% of patients achieved meaningful skin improvement (EASI-75) with up to 4 years of lebrikizumab treatment, with 75% achieving near-complete skin clearance (EASI-90) and 78% experiencing meaningful itch relief (Pruritus NRS ≤4). Notably, these outcomes were largely achieved with monotherapy, as 77% of those assessed did not require concomitant systemic or topical treatments, and approximately 80% maintained disease control without the use of topical corticosteroids — with 80% of subjects achieving clinical responses while on once-monthly injections. Safety in the first year of ADlong was consistent with lebrikizumab's established profile, with no new signals identified. The ADlong study remains ongoing with an additional year of follow-up planned.