N Engl J Med
AAD 2026: Oral JAK1/TYK2 inhibitor tested in adults with dermatomyositis
Clinical takeaway: For patients with moderate-to-severe dermatomyositis, brepocitinib* may soon offer a targeted, oral, steroid-sparing treatment option, though infection risk warrants monitoring.
In the phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled VALOR trial (N=241) presented at AAD 2026, brepocitinib 30 mg once daily significantly improved disease activity in adults with dermatomyositis. Brepocitinib achieved a 15.3-point greater improvement in the Total Improvement Score at 52 weeks vs. placebo (P<0.001), with benefits seen as early as week 4. All nine key secondary endpoints favored brepocitinib, including muscle strength, skin disease severity, physical function, and patient-reported outcomes such as itch and skin-related quality of life. Patients who received brepocitinib were nearly twice as likely to successfully taper background corticosteroids. Serious infections occurred more frequently with brepocitinib 30 mg (≈10%) than placebo, but most resolved with standard management.
*Brepocitinib is an oral, selective inhibitor of tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) and Janus kinase 1 (JAK1), which mediate signaling of proinflammatory cytokines involved in dermatomyositis.
Source:
Vleugels RA, et al; VALOR Investigators. (2026, March 28). N Engl J Med. A Phase 3 Trial of Brepocitinib in Dermatomyositis. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41910335/