Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. initiated enrollment in the Phase 2b portion of the Phase 1/2b study of ARQ-252, a potent and highly selective topical small molecule inhibitor of Janus kinase type 1 (JAK1), in adult patients with chronic hand eczema. Topline data from this trial are expected in the second half of 2021.

“More than eight million people in the US suffer from hand eczema, a chronic skin disease that can cause significant skin irritation and discomfort and negatively impact a person’s quality of life,” says Howard Welgus, MD, Arcutis’ Chief Medical Officer, in a news release. “Current treatments often fall short, resulting in patients and physicians making trade-offs between efficacy and tolerability. We are pleased to begin enrollment in this important study of ARQ-252 in adult patients with chronic hand eczema. We believe that, due to its demonstrated potency and high selectivity for JAK1 over JAK2, ARQ-252 has the potential to provide the level of efficacy patients desperately want without causing the side effects that may be associated with other less selective JAK inhibitors, thereby eliminating the need to compromise between safety, efficacy, and tolerability.”

In April, Arcutis began enrolling patients in the Phase 1 portion of the Phase 1/2b study to assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of once daily application of ARQ-252 cream 0.3% to both hands for two weeks in six subjects with chronic hand eczema. The Phase 2b portion of this study will assess the safety and efficacy of ARQ-252 cream 0.1% once daily and ARQ-252 cream 0.3% once daily or twice daily versus vehicle applied once daily or twice daily for 12 weeks to patients with chronic hand eczema.