Tapinarof Cream Shows Consistent Efficacy Across Atopic Dermatitis Subgroups in Phase 3 Analysis
Key Takeaways
A pooled post hoc analysis of the phase 3 ADORING 1 and ADORING 2 trials found consistent efficacy with tapinarof cream, 1% (VTAMA), across patient subgroups defined by body surface area involvement, disease duration, and previous systemic therapy.
At Week 8, EASI75 response rates among tapinarof-treated patients were 64.4% for those with at least 10% body surface area involvement and 64.3% for those previously treated with systemic therapies.
Allergist Druhan Howell, MD, emphasized the potential relevance of the findings for patients with extensive or longstanding atopic dermatitis, including those who previously received systemic treatment.
A pooled post hoc analysis of the phase 3 ADORING 1 and ADORING 2 trials found that tapinarof cream, 1% (VTAMA; Organon), demonstrated consistent improvements in disease severity and itch across subgroups of patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD), including those with extensive disease or previous systemic therapy exposure. The findings will be presented at the 2026 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting on November 14, 2026.
The analysis included data from 813 patients aged 2 years and older who were randomized to once-daily tapinarof or vehicle for 8 weeks. Investigators evaluated Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) 75, Validated Investigator Global Assessment for Atopic Dermatitis (vIGA-AD), and Peak Pruritus Numeric Rating Scale (PP-NRS) responses according to baseline body surface area (BSA) involvement, disease duration, and prior systemic treatment.
Efficacy Across Disease Severity and Treatment History
At Week 8, EASI 75 response rates with tapinarof versus vehicle were 64.4% versus 23.2% among patients with at least 10% BSA involvement and 57.8% versus 32.2% among those with less than 10% involvement. Among patients previously treated with systemic therapies, response rates were 64.3% versus 3.8%, compared with 62.4% versus 28.4% among those without prior systemic treatment.¹
Druhan Howell, MD, an allergist in Mobile, Alabama, told Practical Dermatology the findings involving patients previously treated with systemic therapies were particularly noteworthy.
"To have an equivalent response rate between both previous systemic therapies and patients who have not been on systemic therapies is really a powerful message to be able to send to my patients or my patients' families about the usefulness of a medication," Dr. Howell said.
She also emphasized the findings among patients with greater BSA involvement, noting that the pivotal trials included patients with up to 30% BSA involvement.
"You don't always have to leap to the systemic therapy when you have a certain body percentage coverage," she said. "You have an ability to use a medication topically once a day and get that response rate."
Responses were also observed across disease-duration subgroups. At Week 8, EASI75 response rates with tapinarof versus vehicle were 70.0% versus 31.8% among patients with disease duration of 0 to 5 years and 58.8% versus 21.7% among those with disease duration of at least 6 years.
"Whether it's a short-term duration disease ... or if they are someone who's been dealing with this for years and years, you're still going to get response rates," Dr. Howell said. "You're still going to get reductions in vIGA, in PP-NRS."