What is the difference between itching and normal skin itching in atopic dermatitis? "What challenges have you encountered in the 30-year history of innovative targeted drug development", "Why can JAK1 (Janus kinase 1) inhibitors be made orally, but some drugs must be injected? ”…… On June 28, a group of young reporters from several schools in Shanghai asked questions in an interview with experts.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the skin disease with the highest disease burden among non-fatal diseases, and it is estimated that there are more than 70 million AD patients in mainland China, often accompanied by severe itching and skin lesions, and suffering from diseases that others cannot understand. Professor Wu Zhouwei of the First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Professor Lv Xiaoxi of Peking Union Medical College Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences brought AD special courses to the young reporters, stimulating the curiosity of the young reporters about the research and development of new drugs, and improving the correct understanding of AD disease management. Help young people to be the "first person in charge" to protect the skin health of themselves and their relatives and friends.
Liu Jing, General Manager of Pfizer China's Inflammation and Immunology Division
Liu Jing, General Manager of Pfizer's Inflammation & Immunology Division in China, said: "Adhering to the concept of 'science wins', Pfizer has always been committed to 'bringing life-changing breakthroughs and innovations to patients'. In response to the first National Health Literacy Month, Pfizer jointly launched this public welfare experience camp for young journalists, hoping to make popular science knowledge more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people through scenario-based experience and interactive practice, convey the power of science and innovation, and continuously promote the depth and breadth of disease awareness of immune skin diseases such as AD.
As the world's first biopharmaceutical company to develop the JAK pathway for inflammatory immune diseases, Pfizer's skin product portfolio has covered the whole course of treatment of mild, moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, and will continue to work with industry partners to build a standardized and full-course disease management system in the direction of innovative treatment options, so as to contribute to the 'Healthy China 2030'." ”
Itch relief is the primary treatment need, and both short-term and long-term goals need to be taken into account
"AD is a chronic, recurrent, inflammatory, and heterogeneous disease with complex etiology, and the main symptom is severe itching, which can be induced by many endogenous factors such as sunlight, dust mites, and psychological stress," said Professor Wu Zhouwei of the First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Therefore, it is recommended that AD patients should take a shower to remove sweat as soon as possible after exercise to avoid the onset of the disease. ”
Professor Wu Zhouwei from the First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
In addition to avoiding triggers as much as possible, Professor Wu pointed out that relieving itching is the most urgent need of patients, in addition to improving skin conditions such as dryness, cracking, etc., as well as improving skin appearance. As a recurrent condition, the severity of AD symptoms often fluctuates over time. Some patients may have subclinical inflammation even if the skin is "normal" after treatment. "Patients with AD need to balance both short-term and long-term treatment goals. The short-term goal is to alleviate itching and improve skin lesions, while the long-term goal is to keep the disease at a stable level and reduce recurrence. ”
"The long-term management of AD disease involves a variety of different measures, such as skin protection, lifestyle adjustment, and effective therapeutic drugs," Professor Wu Zhouwei said, "Different therapeutic drugs have their own advantages. Highly selective JAK1 inhibitors can inhibit a variety of itch-causing factors and other AD inflammatory cytokines by specifically controlling the 'signaling hub' in the AD onset mechanism, while reducing the interference of other normal pathways and reducing the related safety risks, helping patients to control the disease for a long time, and bringing a new treatment method to fight 'itch'. ”
Multidisciplinary promotes the research and development of innovative drugs, bringing choices with both efficacy and safety
"In the past, people's understanding of AD disease mainly stayed at the level of inflammatory skin diseases. With the development of many disciplines such as immunology, people have gradually realized that AD is not only an inflammation, but also related to the abnormality of many immune cells. At the same time, with the progress of the academic community's understanding of AD diseases, the continuous improvement of the entire medical system, and the improvement of technical means, a new generation of targeted small molecule oral specific drugs has been launched," said Professor Lv Xiaoxi of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, sharing the research and development process of innovative AD drugs.
Professor Lv Xiaoxi of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
Professor Lu Xiaoxi also added: "The innovative targeted drugs of highly selective JAK1 inhibitors, represented by abuxitinib, are of transformative significance for the treatment of AD patients. The treatment of atopic dermatitis has been difficult to treat both the symptoms and the root cause. Among them, our so-called 'mark' is itching, and the so-called 'root' is skin damage. Previous treatments such as glucocorticoids have been able to treat the symptoms, but they are not enough to treat the root cause. Today's small-molecule specific targeted drugs can treat both the symptoms and the root cause, and the benefits for patients are unprecedented. ”
"It is worth mentioning that traditional treatment methods also bring certain hidden dangers and negative effects to the treatment of patients due to the high risk of infection. The mechanism of action of highly selective JAK1 inhibitors has improved both the effectiveness and safety of AD patients by precisely regulating the skin immune pathway. In addition, abuxitinib can avoid interaction with other drugs during the combination of oral drugs, which also means that patients can use it orally, which significantly improves the convenience and compliance of medication", Professor Lv Xiaoxi finally pointed out, "It is expected that with the development and progress of immunology technology in the future, AD patients will be able to usher in more innovative treatment options, so as to get rid of the disease and return to normal life." ”
In addition to the in-depth sharing of skin health science courses, the young reporters also visited the R&D center in interesting interactive activities to understand AD diseases, learn scientific R&D knowledge, and understand the importance of skin health to the human body in an entertaining and educational way. The message "I hope that I can also contribute to the cause of science in the future" was left on the interactive wall, and this journey allowed the young journalists to plant the seeds of science in their hearts while caring for AD, waiting for the future to spread their wings and fly.
Source: Yigu Network