Tackling Atopic Dermatitis From Multiple Angles

A lot has happened in the past few years to address unmet patient needs. There has been a major shift in scientific research toward understanding AD as a systemic, chronic inflammatory disease.

“With the availability of new treatments, general awareness of AD has improved, too, and patients found their voice to ask for effective treatments,” says Carlos. “This is incredibly motivating.”

Together with our partner, Regeneron, Sanofi brought the first biologic therapy for AD to the market, targeting IL-4 alpha receptors that play a role in the underlying immune response.

Despite these significant advancements, unmet needs remain for people suffering from AD. As is the case with most chronic diseases, patients and physicians require a diverse toolkit of options for addressing their needs.

We’ve been dedicated to creating a robust pipeline of novel medicines with mechanisms of action that hit core immune pathways with the potential to have meaningful impact in a variety of diseases with the main goal of raising efficacy ceilings, intervening early in the disease and changing its course.  

For AD, we are conducting phase 2 and phase 3 studies exploring a novel mechanism targeting OX40 Ligand, a nodal pathway in the inflammatory process, hypothesized to restore balance to the adaptive and innate immune system.

“Today, Sanofi researchers are looking beyond type 2 inflammation to discover new solutions for patients with mixed inflammatory responses. For example, my team is pursuing multiple programs targeting OX40-Ligand, a key immune mediator, as a target to potentially stop inflammation at its root,” says Karl.

An additional study for an IL-1 receptor–associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) is ongoing, with a IL13/TSLP NANOBODY^® VHH study planned in AD.

Our contributions to AD care go beyond what happens in the labs. We have embarked on additional research on how AD disrupts the skin barrier, sleep patterns, or the unique considerations for patients with skin of color to contribute to the development of treatment options tailored to the specific needs of different patients.

Since joining Sanofi, Carlos has been a part of these efforts but still manages to stay in contact with some of his patients from nearly two decades earlier, “Having treatment options available has been an important advancement for them”, says Carlos. “Our commitment to developing first and best-in-class medicines is dedicated to them.”