In this segment of his HCPLive interview, Shawn Kwatra, MD, at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine associate professor of dermatology, elaborated on the implications of his team’s Olympia 2 trial findings regarding nemolizumab and prurigo nodularis (PN).¹

Kwatra’s team’s findings followed the 2020 publication of nemolizumab’s phase 2b trial results. He noted here that the Olympia 2 trial is a part of the largest phase 3 clinical development program in PN to date.

Kwatra was asked how the new results may translate into possible improvements in the quality of life for individuals with the skin disease.

“What we know is that patient quality of life also mirrors each improvement,” he explained. “And what was very significant about this trial is that there was a rapid onset of itch relief that was accompanied very closely by improvements in sleep, as well as quality of life. So what we're seeing here is that itch is the dominant factor in the law of morbidity in prurigo nodularis.”

Kwatra added that once itch improves, a patient tends to sleep better and they are expected to have less anxiety, less depression, and greater overall improvement in quality of life.

“So it's very encouraging for the treatment of this condition,” Kwatra said. “There's still many patients around the globe and for many years, we didn't have any approved options for these patient populations. So unlike in psoriasis, where you have so many approved drugs, getting drug approvals for prurigo nodularis is a major, important step for patients. And this phase 3 trial represents a step forward towards that moment.”

Kwatra added later than in the near future, research will be conducted to examine nemolizumab’s long-term effects once patients go off of therapy.

To learn more about Kwatra’s team’s findings, view the full interview above.

The quotes featured in this summary were edited for the purposes of clarity.

References

1. ^{Smith T. Shawn Kwatra, MD: Discussing New Phase 3 Data on Nemolizumab for Prurigo Nodularis. HCPLive. October 31, 2023. Date accessed: October 31, 2023. https://www.hcplive.com/view/shawn-kwatra-md-discussing-new-phase-3-data-on-nemolizumab-for-prurigo-nodularis.}