Germany Becomes the First Country to Launch LEO Pharma’s Anzupgo® (delgocitinib) Cream

GLOBAL RELEASE 

NOT FOR UK USE – NOT INTENDED FOR UK MEDIA 

BALLERUP, Denmark, October 15, 2024 – LEO Pharma A/S, a global leader in medical dermatology, today announces the launch of Anzupgo® (delgocitinib) cream in Germany for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe Chronic Hand Eczema (CHE), for whom topical corticosteroids are inadequate or inappropriate.¹  The launch makes Germany the first country worldwide where Anzupgo will be available, following the recent European Commission (EC) approval. 

CHE is a heterogeneous, fluctuating, inflammatory skin disease with key symptoms of itch and pain. Its pathophysiology is characterized by skin barrier dysfunction, skin inflammation, and skin microbiome alterations.² The condition can have a high psychological, social, and occupational burden.^4-6  

“This significant milestone is a true reflection of LEO Pharma’s commitment to address the unmet need in CHE, a condition that historically has been underappreciated,” said Becki Morison, Executive Vice President, Global Product Strategy & International Operations for LEO Pharma. “Our teams have worked tirelessly to get to this point, and launching Anzupgo in Germany fills me with immense pride. Adults living with moderate to severe CHE in Germany will now have access to a topical treatment specifically approved for their condition. This launch is hopefully the first of many for Anzupgo in the coming months and years ahead, and we are prepared and excited to bring this treatment to more patients".  

The European Commission (EC) approval for Anzupgo was based on results from the phase 3 program, which includes the DELTA 1 and DELTA 2 clinical trials that evaluated the safety and efficacy of Anzupgo compared to cream vehicle.^7-9 Both trials met their primary and all secondary endpoints.^10,11 Subjects who completed the 16-week DELTA 1 or DELTA 2 trials were immediately offered to enroll in the 36-week DELTA 3 open-label extension trial.¹²  

"Whilst CHE as a disease has a high unmet need and has long been overlooked internationally when it comes to medical research, here in the German population the hand eczema prevalence is high and CHE is a real problem for the patients", said Dr Urs Kerkmann, Medical Director, LEO Pharma Germany. "Because of this focus in Germany, when I meet dermatologists, many share with me that they have been waiting a long time for new potential treatment options for their CHE patients where topical corticosteroids prove inadequate or inappropriate. I am incredibly excited that today we can do exactly that. Bringing this new treatment option to Germany is a proud moment for the entire team."   

The launch of Anzupgo in Germany follows the EC decision on September 19th, 2024.  

The EC decision means Anzupgo is now approved in all EU member states, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein. Regulatory filings in other markets are underway.¹ 

*END*

 

About Chronic Hand Eczema  

Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is defined as hand eczema (HE) that lasts for more than three months or relapses twice or more within a year.^13,14 CHE is one of the most common skin disorders of the hands, with a prevalence rate of approximately 4.7%.³ In a substantial number of patients, HE can develop into a chronic condition.¹⁵ CHE is a fluctuating disorder characterized by itch and pain, and patients may experience signs such as erythema, scaling, lichenification, hyperkeratosis, vesicles, edema, and fissures on hands and wrists.⁴ 

CHE has been shown to cause psychological and functional burdens that impact patient quality of life,⁵ with approximately 70% of individuals who live with severe CHE admitting to problems in performing everyday activities, and suffering disruption in their daily life due to the condition.¹⁶ Furthermore, work and earning potential have also been shown to be impacted by the burden of living with CHE.¹⁷ 

About Anzupgo® (delgocitinib) Cream  

Anzupgo® (delgocitinib) cream is a topical pan-Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor for the treatment of moderate to severe CHE. It inhibits the activation of JAK-STAT signaling, which plays a key role in the pathogenesis of CHE.¹⁸ The pathophysiology is characterized by skin barrier dysfunction, inflammation of the skin, and alterations of the skin microbiome.³ Anzupgo is currently approved in the European Union for the treatment of moderate to severe CHE in adults for whom topical corticosteroids are inadequate or inappropriate. In 2014, LEO Pharma A/S and Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) entered into a license agreement in which LEO Pharma gained exclusive rights to develop and commercialize delgocitinib cream for topical use in dermatological indications worldwide, excluding Japan, where JT retains rights. 

About LEO Pharma 

LEO Pharma is a global company dedicated to advancing the standard of care for the benefit of people with skin conditions, their families and society. Founded in 1908 and majority owned by the LEO Foundation, LEO Pharma has devoted decades of research and development to advance the science of dermatology, and today, the company offers a wide range of therapies for all disease severities. LEO Pharma is headquartered in Denmark with a global team of 4,000 people, serving millions of patients across the world. In 2023, the company generated net sales of DKK 11.4 billion.  

Contact:  

Jes Broe Frederiksen  

LEO Pharma, Global Commercial Communication 

Tel: +45 53 60 59 48  

Email: jebfe@leo-pharma.com     

Thomas Schick  

LEO Pharma, Press officer  

Tel: 0170 / 785 67 34  

Email: tscde@leo-pharma.com 

References 

1. Anzupgo® (delgocitinib) cream. Summary of Product Characteristics. LEO Pharma; September 2024.

2. Lee GR, Maarouf M, Hendricks AK, Lee DE, Shi VY. Current and emerging therapies for hand eczema. Dermatol Ther. 2019;32(3):e12840.

3. Apfelbacher C, Bewley A, Molin S, et al. Prevalence of Chronic Hand Eczema in adults: A cross-sectional multi-national study of 60,000 respondents in the general population. Presented at the 2024 European Society of Contact Dermatitis (ESCD) congress; September 04-07 2024; Dresden, Germany. Poster presentation #3

4. Thyssen JP, Schuttelaar MLA, Alfonso JH, et al. Guidelines for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of hand eczema. Contact Dermatitis. 2022;86(5):357-378.

5. Grant L, Seiding Larsen L, Burrows K, et al. Development of a Conceptual Model of Chronic Hand Eczema (CHE) Based on Qualitative Interviews with Patients and Expert Dermatologists. Adv Ther. 2020;37(2):692-706.

6. Thyssen JP, Silverberg JI, Guttman-Yassky E. Chronic hand eczema understanding has ramifications on clinical management. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2020;34(8):e429-e430. 

7. ClinicalTrials.gov. National Library of Medicine (U.S.). Efficacy and Safety of Delgocitinib Cream in Adults With Moderate to Severe Chronic Hand Eczema (DELTA 1). Identifier: NCT04871711. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04871711. 

8. ClinicalTrials.gov. National Library of Medicine (U.S.). Efficacy and Safety of Delgocitinib Cream in Adults With Moderate to Severe Chronic Hand Eczema (DELTA 2). Identifier: NCT04872101. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04872101. 

9. Bissonnette R, Warren RB, Pinter A, et al. Efficacy and safety of delgocitinib cream in adults with moderate to severe chronic hand eczema (DELTA 1 and DELTA 2): results from multicentre, randomised, controlled, double-blind, phase 3 trials. Lancet. 2024;404(10451):461-473. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01027-4.

10. Schliemann S, et al. Efficacy and safety of delgocitinib cream in adults with moderate to severe chronic hand eczema: results of the Phase 3 DELTA 2 trial. Presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2023. Berlin, Germany. 11– 14 October. Poster Presentation #P0395.

11. Bissonnette R, et al. Efficacy and safety of delgocitinib cream in adults with moderate to severe chronic hand eczema: results of the Phase 3 DELTA 1 trial. Presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2023. Berlin, Germany. 11– 14 October. Poster Presentation #P0369.

12. ClinicalTrials.gov. National Library of Medicine (U.S.). Open-label Multi-site Extension Trial in Subjects Who Completed the DELTA 1 or DELTA 2 Trials (DELTA3). Identifier: NCT04949841 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04949841. 

13. Lynde C, Guenther L, Diepgen TL, et al. Canadian hand dermatitis management guidelines. J Cutan Med Surg. 2010;14(6):267-284. Erratum in: J Cutan Med Surg. 2011 Nov-Dec;15(6):360

14. Diepgen TL, et al. Guidelines for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of hand eczema. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2015 Jan;13(1):e1–22. 

15. Bissonnette R, Diepgen TL, Elsner P, et al. Redefining treatment options in chronic hand eczema (CHE). J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2010;24 Suppl 3:1-20.

16. Cortesi PA, Scalone L, Belisari A, et al. Cost and quality of life in patients with severe chronic hand eczema refractory to standard therapy with topical potent corticosteroids. Contact Dermatitis. 2014;70(3):158-168.

17. Voorberg AN, Loman L, Schuttelaar MLA. Prevalence and Severity of Hand Eczema in the Dutch General Population: A Cross-sectional, Questionnaire Study within the Lifelines Cohort Study. Acta Derm Venereol. 2022;102:adv00626.

18. Dubin C, Del Duca E, Guttman-Yassky E. Drugs for the Treatment of Chronic Hand Eczema: Successes and Key Challenges. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2020;16:1319-1332. Erratum in: Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2021 Mar 18;17:233. 

MAT-77000 October 2024