What's New in Atopic Dermatitis Management, With April Armstrong, MD, MPH

The atopic dermatitis treatment landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, according to April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH, of UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine, and those working in the field are working to keep up.

In an HCPLive interview conducted at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, Armstrong spoke about various key developments spanning long-term safety data, emerging mechanisms of action, and the increasing role of personalized treatment strategies in the moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis space.1,2

“Some of the things that I highlighted in my session included long-term data for the FDA-approved therapies, both in the biologic realm as well as oral JAK inhibitors,” Armstrong expressed.

On the topic of safety data, Armstrong provided reassurance related to oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. She noted long-term findings show rates of serious infections and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in the atopic dermatitis population appear to be comparable to background rates seen in patients with moderate-to-severe disease. With this in mind, Armstrong stressed the value of Zoster vaccination prior to, or concurrent with, beginning oral JAK inhibitor treatment, given the link to elevated risk of Zoster infection.

Later in the interview, Armstrong turned her attention to the drug pipeline, touching on the wave of innovations seen across both familiar and novel therapeutic pathways. Longer-term data were noted as currently available for agents targeting the OX40 ligand pathway. Newer approaches are also exploring more precise inhibition of the interleukin (IL)-4 receptor alpha.

Outside of biologics, Armstrong also spoke about oral drugs targeting STAT6, as opposed to JAK molecules, emerging as noteworthy in dermatology. She also pointed to the growing interest in bi-specific and tri-specific molecules designed to simultaneously inhibit multiple targets, an approach aimed at addressing the heterogeneity of disease presentations.

Despite the momentum, Armstrong later described the management of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis as continuing to be a highly individualized challenge. For individuals with refractory disease, she encouraged clinicians in the field not to be discouraged, emphasizing combination therapy as potentially appropriate for certain patients.

The quotes used in this video summary were edited for clarity.

Armstrong has served as a consultant for and received honoraria from AbbVie, Almirall, Arcutis, ASLAN, Beiersdorf, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Dermavant, Dermira, EPI, Incyte, Janssen, LEO Pharma, Eli Lilly, Nimbus, Novartis, Ortho Dermatologics, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi, Sun, and UCB and has participated in advisory boards for Boehringer Ingelheim and Parexel.

References

1. Armstrong A, et al. S065 What's New in Dermatology. Session presented at: 2026 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting; March 27–31, 2026; Denver, CO.

2. Armstrong AW, Rubin C, Jarell A, et al. Real-world effectiveness of 12 months tralokinumab treatment in patients with skin of color and moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: final data from the prospective, non-interventional, international TRACE study. Presented at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting; March 27-31, 2026; Denver, CO. Poster ID: 77199. Oral Poster Presentation.