Stapokibart Shows Efficacy and Safety in Elderly Patients With AD

Key Takeaways

• Elderly adults with AD achieved significant gains with stapokibart, a new analysis suggests.

• Improvements deepened during long-term maintenance therapy, with efficacy trends consistent with younger adults.

• Safety profile was similar to placebo in both age groups.

This post hoc analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of stapokibart, an anti–IL-4Rα monoclonal antibody, in elderly adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis—a population often characterized by more complex inflammatory signatures and comorbidities. The study pooled data from a randomized, placebo-controlled 16-week treatment period followed by an open-label 36-week extension. Adults received stapokibart 300 mg every two weeks following a 600-mg loading dose or placebo. Outcomes were compared between elderly patients (≥60 years; n = 93) and non-elderly adults (18–<60 years; n = 407).

At Week 16, elderly participants demonstrated marked improvements with stapokibart versus placebo: 56% achieved EASI-75, 40% reached IGA 0/1, and 32% reported at least a 4-point reduction in pruritus scores. These response rates, although modestly lower than those seen in younger adults, remained clinically meaningful and were achieved with strong statistical significance. Non-elderly patients exhibited similar trends, with 69.7% achieving EASI-75 and robust gains across secondary endpoints. Importantly, both age groups continued to show incremental improvement through the 36-week maintenance phase.

Safety findings were consistent across elderly and younger adults, with comparable rates of treatment-emergent adverse events and no new safety signals identified. Overall, stapokibart demonstrated a favorable efficacy and safety profile, supporting its potential utility in elderly populations who have traditionally been underrepresented in clinical trials and may face limitations with existing systemic treatments.