Skin bioMARkers for Atopic Eczema Therapy Evaluation

NCT ID: NCT04194814

Last Updated: 2025-07-18

Study Results

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE2

Total Enrollment

37 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2020-11-20

Study Completion Date

2021-09-30

Brief Summary

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The study aims to investigate two new non-invasive technologies for assessing skin properties to identify and validate a range of safety biomarkers that may be considered useful as primary outcome measures for evaluating the safety of topical treatments in atopic dermatitis. The method of assessing these biomarker technologies will be to determine whether twice daily treatment with crisaborole (2%) ointment, compared to betamethasone valerate (0.1%) cream, for up to 4 weeks, may cause skin structure or function changes, like skin atrophy, in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD).

Detailed Description

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The first-line drug treatment for mild-moderate AD are currently topical corticosteroids (TCS) with recognized efficacy. However, their prolonged or inappropriate use, can lead to local adverse effects. Side-effects of topical corticosteroids comprise a variety of skin changes in the sense of skin atrophy thinning of the skin and in some cases development of telangiectasia, spontaneous scars, folliculitis, striae distensae (stretch marks), contact dermatitis, acne or rosacea depending on potency, galenic formulation, patient age and body area to which the medication will be applied, exposure time.

Assessing the safety (local adverse effects) of current or new treatments and new treatment approaches using existing treatments through noninvasively monitor on possible early skin (subclinical) changes associated with the local clinical adverse effects of treatment may be an effective step for an enhanced AD treatment management.

Primary Aim: To further develop and validate two new non-invasive technologies for the assessment of early sub-clinical skin changes associated with adverse effects and to derive an optimum panel of safety biomarkers for use in future clinical trials of topical anti-inflammatory treatments.

The safety of two topical anti-inflammatory treatments for AD will be compared in this clinical trial, with a focus on early sub-clinical signs: crisaborole 2% ointment and betamethasone valerate 0,1% cream. Step 1 involves the collection of data on the early sub-clinical skin changes using the non-invasive technologies: OCT and FTIR spectroscopy. The data from this study will then be used to identify and refine biophysical biomarkers of skin atrophy and skin barrier disruption in steps 2 and 3.

Secondary Aim: To determine the relative local skin effects of crisaborole (2%) ointment compared to a potent and moderately potent TCS in participants with mild to moderate AD. The focus is on 'early biomarkers' of 'local skin changes'and not clinical efficacy, which has been established in previous trials.

Rationale for selecting the two comparators are related to prescription behaviors in UK (Betamethasone valerate 0,1% cream) and with no reported TCS-like local adverse effects profile (crisaborole 2% ointment)

Conditions

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Atopic Eczema/Dermatitis (Non-Specific)

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

An observer-blind forearm-controlled clinical trial in 37 AD patients, wherein each participant will undergo 4 weeks treatment with crisaborole (2%) ointment on one forearm and betamethasone valerate (0.1%) cream on the other (twice daily application in each case and randomised site allocation). At the start of the study the skin of the test sites (forearms) will be clear of the signs of AD so that the investigation focuses on local adverse effects on the skin as opposed to anti-inflammatory effects (focus on local adverse effects and not clinical efficacy). The condition of the skin will be assessed before, during and after treatment.
Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Allocation of the treatments to the test sites (right/left forearm) will be randomised (to avoid site position-dependent artefacts) Observer-blind - The collection of study data will be conducted in a separate area (dedicated skin barrier research suite) by a separate team (comprising skilled dermatology researchers) who will be blind.

Study Groups

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crisaborole and topical Corticosteroid

crisaborole (2%) ointment on the other forearm, twice daily application for 4 weeks (randomised site allocation)

betamethasone valerate (0.1%) cream on one forearm, twice daily application for 4 weeks (randomised site allocation)

Group Type OTHER

crisaborole (2%) ointment

Intervention Type DRUG

twice daily application on one forearm for 4 weeks (randomised site allocation)

betamethasone valerate 0.1% cream

Intervention Type DRUG

twice daily application on one forearm for 4 weeks (randomised site allocation)

Interventions

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crisaborole (2%) ointment

twice daily application on one forearm for 4 weeks (randomised site allocation)

Intervention Type DRUG

betamethasone valerate 0.1% cream

twice daily application on one forearm for 4 weeks (randomised site allocation)

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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Eucrisa Betnovate cream

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Volunteers with AD defined according to the UK working party diagnostic criteria
* Male or female aged 18-65 years old at baseline (Visit 1)
* Volunteer understands the purpose, modalities and potential risk of the trial
* Participants able to read and understand English
* Participants willing to sign the informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

* Participants with a known allergy/hypersensitivity to any of the excipients of the trial preparations.
* Participants with acne, suntan, birth marks, multiple nevi, tattoos, blemishes or dense body hair that obstruct the test areas.
* Investigator assessment of eczema severity at the treatment (anatomical) sites is almost clear or greater (score ≥1) based on the Investigators static global assessment scale at screening and baseline. At the start of the study the skin of the test sites (forearms) will therefore be clear (0) of the signs of eczema
* Participants with a condition that in the opinion of the investigator contradicts participation in the study.
* Pregnant female participants; breastfeeding female participants; and female participants of childbearing potential who are unwilling or unable to use a highly effective method of contraception as outlined in this protocol for the duration of the study and for at least 28 days after the last dose of investigational product.
* Use of any topical product on the test areas within 7 days prior to Baseline/Day 1, including cosmetic moisturizers and sunscreen. Participants using any topical products on the test areas within 7 days at the screening visit will be eligible if they are willing and able to wash-out these products for 7 days in total and for the duration of the trial. Such participants will be potentially eligible at screening and will be confirmed as eligible if adequate washout is confirmed at visit 1. Use of moisturizers and/or sunscreen is permitted during the study to manage dry skin and sun exposure in areas surrounding but not on or overlapping the test areas.
* Participants who have used a tanning bed within 28 days of baseline (visit 1). Participants who have used a sunbed within 28 days at the screening visit will be eligible if they are willing and able to wash-out for 28 days in total and for the duration of the trial. Such participants will be potentially eligible at screening and will be confirmed as eligible if adequate washout is confirmed at visit 1.
* Participants who have used any medication that could interfere with the trial aim prior to the start of the study (baseline/visit 1). Participants using such medication at the screening visit will be eligible if they are willing and able to wash-out these treatments for the applicable washout period as defined by in section 8.8 'Prior and Concomitant Medication' and for the duration of the trial. Such participants will be potentially eligible at screening and will be confirmed as eligible if adequate washout is confirmed at visit 1.
* Participants currently participating in another interventional clinical trial.
* Volunteer is incapable of giving fully informed consent.
* Participants judged by the PI to be inappropriate for the trial.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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University of Sheffield

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Michael J Cork, MB.ChB

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The University of Sheffield & Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS FT

Locations

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Sheffield Dermatology Research, University of Sheffield Medical School, The Royal Hallamshire Hospital

Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Site Status

Countries

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United Kingdom

References

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Odhiambo JA, Williams HC, Clayton TO, Robertson CF, Asher MI; ISAAC Phase Three Study Group. Global variations in prevalence of eczema symptoms in children from ISAAC Phase Three. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009 Dec;124(6):1251-8.e23. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2009.10.009.

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Kerr OA, Tidman MJ, Walker JJ, Aldridge RD, Benton EC. The profile of dermatological problems in primary care. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2010 Jun;35(4):380-3. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2230.2009.03586.x. Epub 2009 Oct 23.

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PMID: 19874334 (View on PubMed)

Cork MJ, Danby SG, Vasilopoulos Y, Hadgraft J, Lane ME, Moustafa M, Guy RH, Macgowan AL, Tazi-Ahnini R, Ward SJ. Epidermal barrier dysfunction in atopic dermatitis. J Invest Dermatol. 2009 Aug;129(8):1892-908. doi: 10.1038/jid.2009.133. Epub 2009 Jun 4.

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Punekar YS, Sheikh A. Establishing the sequential progression of multiple allergic diagnoses in a UK birth cohort using the General Practice Research Database. Clin Exp Allergy. 2009 Dec;39(12):1889-95. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2009.03366.x. Epub 2009 Oct 7.

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Gupta R, Sheikh A, Strachan DP, Anderson HR. Burden of allergic disease in the UK: secondary analyses of national databases. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004 Apr;34(4):520-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2004.1935.x.

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PMID: 15080802 (View on PubMed)

Lewis-Jones S, Mugglestone MA; Guideline Development Group. Management of atopic eczema in children aged up to 12 years: summary of NICE guidance. BMJ. 2007 Dec 15;335(7632):1263-4. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39405.503773.AD. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18079551 (View on PubMed)

Hengge UR, Ruzicka T, Schwartz RA, Cork MJ. Adverse effects of topical glucocorticosteroids. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006 Jan;54(1):1-15; quiz 16-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2005.01.010.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16384751 (View on PubMed)

Schmitt J, von Kobyletzki L, Svensson A, Apfelbacher C. Efficacy and tolerability of proactive treatment with topical corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors for atopic eczema: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Br J Dermatol. 2011 Feb;164(2):415-28. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2010.10030.x. Epub 2010 Nov 23.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20819086 (View on PubMed)

Batchelor JM, Ridd MJ, Clarke T, Ahmed A, Cox M, Crowe S, Howard M, Lawton S, McPhee M, Rani A, Ravenscroft JC, Roberts A, Thomas KS. The Eczema Priority Setting Partnership: a collaboration between patients, carers, clinicians and researchers to identify and prioritize important research questions for the treatment of eczema. Br J Dermatol. 2013 Mar;168(3):577-82. doi: 10.1111/bjd.12040. Epub 2013 Jan 18.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22963149 (View on PubMed)

Byers RA, Maiti R, Danby SG, Pang EJ, Mitchell B, Carre MJ, Lewis R, Cork MJ, Matcher SJ. Sub-clinical assessment of atopic dermatitis severity using angiographic optical coherence tomography. Biomed Opt Express. 2018 Mar 29;9(4):2001-2017. doi: 10.1364/BOE.9.002001. eCollection 2018 Apr 1.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29675335 (View on PubMed)

Ugryumova N, Jacobs J, Bonesi M, Matcher SJ. Novel optical imaging technique to determine the 3-D orientation of collagen fibers in cartilage: variable-incidence angle polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2009 Jan;17(1):33-42. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2008.05.005. Epub 2008 Jul 14.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18621555 (View on PubMed)

Danby SG, Brown K, Higgs-Bayliss T, Chittock J, Albenali L, Cork MJ. The Effect of an Emollient Containing Urea, Ceramide NP, and Lactate on Skin Barrier Structure and Function in Older People with Dry Skin. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2016;29(3):135-47. doi: 10.1159/000445955. Epub 2016 Jun 2.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27251427 (View on PubMed)

Boncheva M, Damien F, Normand V. Molecular organization of the lipid matrix in intact Stratum corneum using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2008 May;1778(5):1344-55. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2008.01.022. Epub 2008 Feb 11.

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PMID: 18298945 (View on PubMed)

Damien F, Boncheva M. The extent of orthorhombic lipid phases in the stratum corneum determines the barrier efficiency of human skin in vivo. J Invest Dermatol. 2010 Feb;130(2):611-4. doi: 10.1038/jid.2009.272. Epub 2009 Sep 3. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19727117 (View on PubMed)

Chittock J, Brown K, Cork MJ, Danby SG. Comparing the Effect of a Twice-weekly Tacrolimus and Betamethasone Valerate Dose on the Subclinical Epidermal Barrier Defect in Atopic Dermatitis. Acta Derm Venereol. 2015 Jul;95(6):653-8. doi: 10.2340/00015555-2048.

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PMID: 25594610 (View on PubMed)

Danby SG, Chittock J, Brown K, Albenali LH, Cork MJ. The effect of tacrolimus compared with betamethasone valerate on the skin barrier in volunteers with quiescent atopic dermatitis. Br J Dermatol. 2014 Apr;170(4):914-21. doi: 10.1111/bjd.12778.

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PMID: 24328907 (View on PubMed)

Kezic S, O'Regan GM, Yau N, Sandilands A, Chen H, Campbell LE, Kroboth K, Watson R, Rowland M, McLean WH, Irvine AD. Levels of filaggrin degradation products are influenced by both filaggrin genotype and atopic dermatitis severity. Allergy. 2011 Jul;66(7):934-40. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2010.02540.x. Epub 2011 Jan 25.

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Lu Z, Kasaragod D, Matcher SJ. Conical scan polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography. Biomed Opt Express. 2014 Feb 18;5(3):752-62. doi: 10.1364/BOE.5.000752. eCollection 2014 Mar 1.

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PMID: 24688811 (View on PubMed)

Chittock J, Cooke A, Lavender T, Brown K, Wigley A, Victor S, Cork MJ, Danby SG. Development of stratum corneum chymotrypsin-like protease activity and natural moisturizing factors from birth to 4 weeks of age compared with adults. Br J Dermatol. 2016 Oct;175(4):713-20. doi: 10.1111/bjd.14568. Epub 2016 Jul 22.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26994359 (View on PubMed)

Danby SG, AlEnezi T, Sultan A, Lavender T, Chittock J, Brown K, Cork MJ. Effect of olive and sunflower seed oil on the adult skin barrier: implications for neonatal skin care. Pediatr Dermatol. 2013 Jan-Feb;30(1):42-50. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1470.2012.01865.x. Epub 2012 Sep 20.

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Brancaleon L, Bamberg MP, Sakamaki T, Kollias N. Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as a possible method to investigate biophysical parameters of stratum corneum in vivo. J Invest Dermatol. 2001 Mar;116(3):380-6. doi: 10.1046/j.1523-1747.2001.01262.x.

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Ring A, Schreiner V, Wenck H, Wittern KP, Kupper L, Keyhani R. Mid-infrared spectroscopy on skin using a silver halide fibre probe in vivo. Skin Res Technol. 2006 Feb;12(1):18-23. doi: 10.1111/j.0909-725X.2006.00130.x.

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Cooke A, Cork MJ, Victor S, Campbell M, Danby S, Chittock J, Lavender T. Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil or no Oil for Baby Dry Skin or Massage: A Pilot, Assessor-blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial (the Oil in Baby SkincaRE [OBSeRvE] Study). Acta Derm Venereol. 2016 Mar;96(3):323-30. doi: 10.2340/00015555-2279.

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Kao JS, Fluhr JW, Man MQ, Fowler AJ, Hachem JP, Crumrine D, Ahn SK, Brown BE, Elias PM, Feingold KR. Short-term glucocorticoid treatment compromises both permeability barrier homeostasis and stratum corneum integrity: inhibition of epidermal lipid synthesis accounts for functional abnormalities. J Invest Dermatol. 2003 Mar;120(3):456-64. doi: 10.1046/j.1523-1747.2003.12053.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 12603860 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol

View Document

Document Type: Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Related Links

Access external resources that provide additional context or updates about the study.

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg57/resources/atopic-eczema-in-under-12s-diagnosis-and-management-pdf-975512529349

Atopic eczema in children - Guideline consultation: National Institute for Clinical Excellence, Department of Health, UK

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f660d2b22e95f46e1f67c92/t/5f873e1cfaba973d5cdf13c1/1602698786483/B.pdf

Danby SG, Wan H, Chittock J et al. Characterisation of the skin barrier defect in atopic dermatitis using in vivo ATR-FTIR molecular spectroscopy. J Invest Dermatol 2016; 136: S182.

https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/8565/1/Optical-coherence-tomography-demonstrates-differential-epidermalthinning-of-human-forearm-volar/10.1117/12.2006104.full

Lu Z, et al. Optical coherence tomography demonstrates differential epidermal thinning of human forearm volar skin after 2 weeks application of a topical corticosteroid vs a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory alternative. Proc. SPIE 2013; 85

https://www.osapublishing.org/as/abstract.cfm?uri=as-66-1-26

Takada S, Naito S, Sonoda J et al. Noninvasive In Vivo Measurement of Natural Moisturizing Factor Content in Stratum Corneum of Human Skin by Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy. Applied Spectroscopy 2012; 66: 26-32.

Other Identifiers

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2019-002643-23

Identifier Type: EUDRACT_NUMBER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

WI242083-UK [Eucrisa]

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

269415

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

STH19966

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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