India Pharma Outlook Team | Thursday, 12 March 2026
Pfizer has reported encouraging tilrekimig Phase 2 results for adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, showing the investigational drug met its primary endpoint and delivered meaningful improvements in disease severity.
The study found a statistically significant increase in patients achieving EASI-75, defined as at least a 75% reduction in the Eczema Area and Severity Index, at Week 16 compared with placebo.
The therapy, tilrekimig, is a trispecific antibody designed to block three inflammatory pathways—interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-13 (IL-13), and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). By targeting these signals, the treatment aims to control the overactive Type 2 immune response that drives chronic inflammatory conditions such as atopic dermatitis, while avoiding effects on healthy cells.
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In Stage 2 of the Phase 2 trial, which evaluated monthly dosing, the drug showed competitive efficacy. Patients receiving the low dose achieved EASI-75 at a rate of 38.7%, while the middle and high doses reached 51.9% and 49.4%, respectively.
“The two highest dose levels tested with tilrekimig strongly suggest potentially meaningful improvements to approved standard of care biologics,” Pfizer said.
Commenting on the tilrekimig Phase 2 results, Mike Vincent, Chief Inflammation & Immunology Officer at Pfizer, said: “We are encouraged by the topline Phase 2 results for tilrekimig, which show that combining the potent inhibition of IL-4/13 and TSLP pathways has the potential to deliver improved efficacy over the standard of care for atopic dermatitis.”
The treatment was generally well tolerated, with adverse events similar to placebo. Common side effects included infections, skin reactions, and administration site issues. Three serious adverse events were reported but were considered unrelated to treatment. Rates of conjunctivitis were also lower than those typically seen with IL-4 receptor alpha inhibitors.
The ongoing Phase 2 study includes four overlapping stages and is also evaluating the therapy in biologic-experienced patients. Researchers are comparing tilrekimig with ompekimig, another trispecific antibody targeting IL-4, IL-13, and IL-33.
