The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued final draft guidance recommending routine NHS funding for nemolizumab to treat moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in England and Wales. This recommendation follows the approval of nemolizumab by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), based on clinical trial results showing the drug significantly improves skin lesions, itch, and sleep disturbance in patients with the condition.
Atopic dermatitis is a common, chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by persistent itching and recurring skin lesions. It affects around 1.6 million people in the UK. Nemolizumab is the first approved monoclonal antibody that specifically targets the interleukin-31 receptor alpha (IL-31RA), which plays a key role in causing itch. It is also the first treatment of its kind to offer dosing every four weeks from the start of therapy.
Nemolizumab has been authorized for use in combination with topical corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors for adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older who weigh at least 30 kilograms and are candidates for systemic therapy. The drug aims to provide faster relief from symptoms and improve quality of life for those living with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis.
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