Litifilimab has the potential to represent a major advance in the treatment of cutaneous lupus erythematosus, Prof. Victoria Werth tells TouchDERMATOLOGY, as new 24-week Phase 2 AMETHYST data presented at AAD 2026 highlight promising efficacy and tolerability.

Treatment options for androgenetic alopecia remain limited, fuelling interest in novel therapies that can deliver faster and more meaningful results. In this interview, Prof. Jerry Shapiro explores the challenges of current management and discusses the emerging potential of VDPHL01, an extended-release oral minoxidil formulation that may offer improved efficacy, tolerability and speed of response compared with existing options.

Envudeucitinib (ESK-001) represents a promising advance in psoriasis treatment, offering the prospect of a novel oral therapy with high levels of efficacy in a convenient form. This next-generation, highly selective oral tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor was evaluated in the phase 3 ONWARD clinical programme — ONWARD1 (NCT06586112) and ONWARD2 (NCT06588738) — in adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. To learn more about what sets this therapy apart from existing options, the findings from these studies, and what they could mean for the future of psoriasis management, we spoke with Dr Andrew Blauvelt (Blauvelt Consulting, LLC., Annapolis, MD, USA), who presented the ONWARD findings in a late-breaking session at the 2026 AAD Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, USA.

As interest continues to grow in better understanding the biology of skin aging, non-invasive tools such as tape stripping are opening up new possibilities for molecular research that may help identify strategies to slow skin aging and promote skin longevity. In this Q&A, Dr Helen He (New York, NY, USA) discusses her latest study, which was presented as a late-breaking abstract at this year’s AAD Annual Meeting, and the insights it offers into the mechanisms of skin aging and future targeted interventions.

In this interview, Dr Ben Kaffenberger discusses late-breaking Phase 3 data on vilobelimab for pyoderma gangrenosum, presented at AAD 2026. Building on promising Phase 2 results, the trial evaluates its efficacy in an indication with no approved treatments in the USA or Europe. These findings may mark an important step toward potential FDA approval and improved outcomes for patients with this severe disease.

New early-phase data on PH-762 presented at AAD 2026 have highlighted the promise of directed intratumoural immunotherapy in cutaneous carcinomas. In this Q&A, Dr Mary Spellman shares the key findings from the escalating-dose study and reflects on their potential implications for future development.

We often focus on clinical excellence, but spend less time developing broader skills that could help us better lead with purpose and build more fulfilling, impactful careers. In this episode, part of a mini-series in partnership with LEADderm, Dr Jennifer Soung and Denise Mann explore how clinicians can engage with the media to educate, empower and extend their impact beyond the clinic.

Adolescents living with moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa may soon have access to a new targeted treatment option. The FDA has approved secukinumab for patients aged 12 years and older, making it the only interleukin-17A inhibitor available for this population. The approval includes weight-based dosing for patients weighing at least 30 kg and was supported by data from the phase 3 SUNSHINE and SUNRISE trials, which demonstrated significantly higher hidradenitis suppurativa clinical response rates compared with placebo, with sustained efficacy through 52 weeks.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved deucravacitinib as the first tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor for adults with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA), marking a new targeted treatment option for this chronic inflammatory disease. In the phase 3 POETYK PsA-1 and PsA-2 trials, the once-daily oral therapy significantly improved disease activity compared with placebo, with over half of treated patients achieving an ACR20 response at Week 16. By selectively inhibiting TYK2 signalling pathways involved in psoriatic disease, deucravacitinib offers a novel mechanism distinct from traditional JAK inhibitors, expanding its role beyond plaque psoriasis and introducing a new oral option for patients with PsA.