RELIEVE-AD-PEDs: Dupilumab Sustains Adolescent Atopic Dermatitis Control at 1 Year

Most adolescents with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis reported controlled disease within 2 weeks of starting dupilumab (Dupixent), according to 1-year interim results from the RELIEVE-AD-PEDs study presented at the 2026 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress.¹

The prospective survey study enrolled patients aged 12 - 17 years through the DUPIXENT MyWay support program, measuring control with the Atopic Dermatitis Control Tool (ADCT), a validated 6-item instrument on which scores of 7 or higher signal uncontrolled disease.¹˒² Among 126 subjects completing the month 12 survey, 88.1% (111/126) remained on dupilumab, and mean ADCT scores fell from 13.3 at baseline to 4.9 (P < .001).¹

Controlled disease rose from 12.1% of patients at baseline to 57.9% at 2 weeks and 73.8% at Month 12 (both P < .001), and reports of more than 2 flares in the prior 4 weeks fell from 51.3% to 15.1%.¹ April Armstrong, MD, MPH, professor and chief of dermatology at the University of California Los Angeles, is first author of the analysis. In the following Q&A interview, Armstrong spoke with HCPLive at EADV 2026 in Vienna about the findings and their implications:

HCPLive: At the 12-month mark, 73.8% of adolescents reported "controlled disease" on the ADCT, up from just 12.1% at baseline. What did you find most notable about how quickly and how durably that control was achieved?

April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH: It’s notable that a majority of adolescents 12-17 years old reported disease control at two weeks after starting dupilumab treatment and control was sustained through one year. This prospective real-world study reinforces what we’ve seen in the dupilumab clinical trials, early and sustained benefit, so this was not surprising to see in clinical practice as well.

HCPLive: Disease control jumped to 57.9% as early as 2 weeks after starting dupilumab. What does that early separation tell you about the real-world treatment experience for adolescent patients and their families?

April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH: These data show that dupilumab can work quickly on improving six domains measured with the Atopic Dermatitis Control Tool (ADCT): overall severity of atopic dermatitis symptoms, frequency of intense episodes of itching, extent of atopic dermatitis-related bother, frequency of sleep impact, impact of atopic dermatitis on daily activities, and impact of atopic dermatitis on mood or emotions. For adolescents struggling with moderate or severe disease, improving these aspects soon after initiating dupilumab can provide much needed relief.

HCPLive: With flare frequency dropping from 51.3% to 15.1% of patients reporting more than 2 flares a month, how should clinicians weigh that reduction when counseling teenage patients and parents on what to expect from treatment?

April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH: With the real-world data showing dupilumab reduced the frequency of flares as early as two weeks and through one year, it gives me confidence when I discuss potential outcomes with my patients and their caregivers that dupilumab may improve this aspect of the disease quickly and durably. Fewer flares mean less scratching and perpetuation of the itch-scratch cycle.

HCPLive: This is a real-world, patient-reported cohort rather than a controlled trial, and only 126 of the original 314 enrollees had reached the 12-month survey at this interim analysis. How do you think about the strength of these conclusions given that design, and what would you want to see in the full dataset?

April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH: At the time of this interim analysis, not all 314 patients had reached one year of treatment, so future analyses will include data for all enrolled patients at one year. Given the strength of the results at the interim analysis, I expect to see similar results once the full patient population reaches 12 months of study.

HCPLive: Treatment satisfaction stayed high through a year of follow-up. What questions does this data leave open for the field, whether around long-term durability, adherence, or how these findings should shape dupilumab use in adolescents going forward?

April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH: High treatment satisfaction suggests that patients are feeling benefit and are more likely to continue taking a medicine. Dupilumab targets two key drivers of the type 2 inflammation underlying atopic dermatitis, so treatment persistence is important to maintain these results because it continuously works even between flares.

Editor’s note: This summary has been edited for grammar and clarity using artificial intelligence tools. Armstrong has previously disclosed serving as an investigator and/or consultant for AbbVie, BMS, Dermavant, Dermira, Janssen, Eli Lilly, LEO Pharma, Modernizing Medicine, Ortho Dermatologics, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sanofi Genzyme, Science 37, and UCB.

References

1. Armstrong A, Paller AS, Yang M, et al. Sustained disease control among adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis treated with dupilumab in clinical practice: 1-year results from the RELIEVE-AD-PEDs study. Presented at: 2026 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress; September 30-October 3, 2026; Vienna, Austria.

2. Pariser DM, Simpson EL, Gadkari A, et al. Evaluating patient-perceived control of atopic dermatitis: design, validation, and scoring of the Atopic Dermatitis Control Tool (ADCT). Curr Med Res Opin. 2020;36(3):367-376. doi:10.1080/03007995.2019.1699516.