US FDA approves Eli Lilly drug against eczema

(Reuters) – Eli Lilly said on Friday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved its eczema drug for use in adults and children over 12 years of age.

The drug, an injectable medicine branded Ebglyss, will be available in the next few weeks, the company said.

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is an inflammatory skin condition that can cause itching, rashes, and dry patches.

The FDA's approval was based on three studies involving more than 1,000 patients with moderate to severe eczema whose symptoms were not controlled with topical medications or other systemic treatments, Eli Lilly said.

Last year, the agency refused to approve the drug due to certain findings during an inspection of a contract manufacturer.

According to the National Eczema Association, nearly 16.5 million adults in the United States suffer from eczema.

There are many drugs available to treat eczema, including Rinvoq from AbbVie, Cibinqo from Pfizer, Dupixent from Sanofi and Regeneron, and some generics such as cetirizine.

Unlike Dupixent, which must be taken twice a month in adults, Ebglyss can be administered once a month, which “is seen as attractive by experts and probably also by patients,” Jefferies analyst Lucy Codrington wrote in a note last year.

The drug has already been approved for use in Europe and Japan, and further markets are expected later this year, the company said.

Ebglyss is a monoclonal antibody that specifically attacks and neutralizes the IL-13 protein, which is responsible for the development of eczema.

(Reporting by Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)