Real-World Data Confirm Upadacitinib Effectiveness Across Body Regions

Key Takeaways

• Real-world data from the AD-VISE study show consistent skin clearance with upadacitinib across all body regions, including the head and neck.
• Efficacy was maintained regardless of prior biologic exposure or baseline disease severity.
• Findings support reproducibility of clinical trial outcomes in broader, more heterogeneous patient populations.

Real-world evidence from the AD-VISE study demonstrates consistent and robust effectiveness of upadacitinib across body regions in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), reinforcing outcomes observed in controlled clinical trials, according to data discussed by Melinda Gooderham, MD, MSc, at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) 2026 Annual Meeting.

The ongoing, prospective, multicountry observational study evaluated adolescents and adults with AD treated with upadacitinib in routine clinical practice. Patients were stratified by baseline severity and prior biologic exposure, with outcomes assessed across four anatomical regions: head and neck, upper limbs, trunk, and lower limbs.

“What we were hoping to see are similar results in the real world to replicate the clinical trial results,” Dr. Gooderham said, “and that is exactly what we did see.”

Results showed high and consistent response rates across all body regions. At 6 months, approximately 70% of patients with head and neck involvement achieved EASI-75, while 55.9% to 59.3% achieved EASI-90 and up to 48.3% achieved EASI-100. Across other regions, EASI-75 rates ranged from 71.8% to 89.3%, with EASI-90 achieved in up to 76.7% of patients. 

Treatment responses were consistent regardless of prior biologic exposure, addressing a broader patient population often excluded from clinical trials.

“We want to make sure that we are seeing the same results in patients who would not have otherwise qualified,” Dr. Gooderham noted.

The head and neck region, an area of particular clinical concern, responded comparably to other regions.

“We wanted to focus on that area, and what we saw was that the head and neck responded just as well as the other body regions,” Dr. Gooderham said.

Safety findings in the real-world setting were consistent with known JAK inhibitor profiles.

“Nothing new is coming out in the real-world use,” she said, adding that ongoing data continue to inform the broader safety context.