Clinical Trial Validates Delgocitinib’s HRQoL Benefits

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The manifestations of chronic hand eczema (CHE) lead to significant discomfort and distress, impacting not only physical well-being but also social and occupational functioning.¹ CHE’s most common subtype is irritant contact dermatitis, which is often triggered by environmental factors such as wet work and exposure to allergens or irritants.² As a result, CHE is recognized as an occupational disease, particularly prevalent among individuals in health care, cleaning, construction, and other hands-on professions.³ The condition imposes a notable psychosocial burden, including embarrassment, social withdrawal, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression.¹

Background

Given the chronic and debilitating nature of CHE, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has become a central measure in both research and clinical practice. Disease-specific tools such as the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), as well as generic instruments like the EQ-5D-5L, are widely used to quantify the impact of CHE.⁴ However, there remains an unmet need for more effective treatments. Topical corticosteroids (TCS) are commonly used but come with limitations including adverse skin effects and a phenomenon known as steroid phobia, which reduces adherence. Alitretinoin is the only approved systemic option for severe CHE in select regions, leaving many patients without adequate therapy.⁵

Delgocitinib cream, a topical pan-Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, offers a promising alternative. With its anti-inflammatory properties, it has recently been approved in Europe for adults with moderate to severe CHE who do not respond well to TCS. A phase 2b randomized controlled trial (RCT) assessed the efficacy and safety of delgocitinib 20 mg/g cream in this patient population, while also evaluating its effect on HRQoL.⁶

Methods

In this double-blind, vehicle-controlled trial conducted across Denmark, Germany, and the USA, 305 participants were enrolled. Investigators used both the IGA-CHE scale to assess disease severity and a set of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) including DLQI, EQ-5D-5L, and the Hand Eczema Impact Scale (HEIS) to evaluate quality of life. Baseline data revealed that patients with moderate to severe CHE reported significantly lower HRQoL compared to those with mild CHE. For instance, DLQI scores were 12.1 vs. 8.1 (P < 0.001), and EQ-5D-5L index scores were 0.689 vs. 0.788 (P < 0.001).

Treatment with delgocitinib resulted in statistically and clinically significant improvements in HRQoL. At week 16, researchers stated patients treated with delgocitinib showed greater reductions in DLQI scores (−7.1 vs. −4.6), and higher increases in EQ-5D-5L index values (0.228 vs. 0.096), compared to the vehicle cream group. Improvements were evident as early as week 1 and sustained throughout the study. Delgocitinib also significantly improved HEIS scores, indicating reduced limitations in daily activities and embarrassment about hand appearance.

Notably, the study highlighted differences in disease burden by gender. Women reported worse DLQI and EQ-5D scores than men, consistent with prior literature suggesting that CHE may disproportionately affect women’s psychosocial well-being.

Conclusion

This trial is among the first to stratify HRQoL outcomes using the IGA-CHE severity scale, offering granular insight into how disease burden varies with severity and treatment response. While not all PRO tools (such as QOLHEQ or HESD) were analyzed in this report, the included measures provide robust evidence that delgocitinib significantly alleviates both the clinical symptoms and the psychosocial toll of moderate to severe CHE.

This trial underscores the profound impact CHE can have on patients' lives and highlights delgocitinib cream as a promising new option. By targeting inflammatory pathways with a topical JAK inhibitor, delgocitinib may fill a critical treatment gap, improving both symptom control and overall quality of life for individuals living with this burdensome condition.

References

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2. Apfelbacher C, Molin S, Weisshaar E, et al. Characteristics and provision of care in patients with chronic hand eczema: updated data from the CARPE registry. Acta Derm Venereol. 2014;94(2):163-167. doi:10.2340/00015555-1632
3. Brands MJ, Loman L, Schuttelaar MLA. Exposure and work-related factors in subjects with hand eczema: Data from a cross-sectional questionnaire within the Lifelines Cohort Study. Contact Dermatitis. 2022;86(6):493-506. doi:10.1111/cod.14066
4. Barrett A, Hahn-Pedersen J, Kragh N, Evans E, Gnanasakthy A. Patient-reported outcome measures in atopic dermatitis and chronic hand eczema in adults. Patient. 2019;12(5):445-459. doi:10.1007/s40271-019-00373-y
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6. Buhl T, Bauer A, Ehst BD, et al. Health-related quality of life in chronic hand eczema in a phase 2b trial of delgocitinib cream. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2025;15(5):1181-1193. doi:10.1007/s13555-025-01384-4