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New Treatment Brings Relief to Patients with Stubborn Skin Disease

Mayo Clinic researchers have found a promising treatment for a challenging skin condition that affects millions worldwide. Their clinical trial showed that a targeted medication can significantly improve lichen planus, a chronic inflammatory disease that causes intensely itchy rashes and has historically been difficult to treat.

“This research is an important step in connecting the dots in understanding — and treating —autoimmune and inflammatory diseases,” says senior author Aaron R. Mangold, M.D., a dermatologist and researcher with the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix.

The phase 2 clinical trial demonstrated remarkable results, with 83% of patients showing significant improvement within 16 weeks of treatment. The medication, baricitinib, works by blocking specific inflammatory pathways that drive the condition.

Lichen planus affects 1-2% of the general population, causing purple, itchy bumps on the skin and sometimes painful sores in the mouth. Until now, treatment options have been limited and often come with concerning side effects like skin thinning and increased infection risk.

The researchers identified unique molecular changes in affected skin, particularly an overactive immune response involving specific T cells. By targeting these pathways with baricitinib, they were able to reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system’s attack on healthy cells.

“These findings provide a potential new, effective, disease-specific treatment option for lichen planus and therapeutic targets for other inflammatory diseases,” Mangold explains. His team had previously conducted earlier trials exploring ways to target these cells.

The success of this treatment approach could have implications beyond lichen planus. The research team’s insights into how the immune system attacks skin cells could help develop treatments for other inflammatory conditions.

The study included patients who hadn’t responded to conventional treatments, with many suffering from their condition for over two years. The rapid improvement seen in most participants suggests this could represent a significant advance in treating this stubborn condition.


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