Successful Treatment of Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa With the JAK1 Inhibitor Abrocitinib
April 2026 | Volume 25 | Issue 4 | 384 | Copyright © April 2026
Published online March 31, 2026
doi:10.36849/JDD.9606
Fang Wang MMa-d, Ranran Zhang MMa-d, Ying Fang MMa-d, Shan Zhou MMa-d, Jiaming Dong MMa-d, Tingting Han MMa-d, Qiaoyue Tang MMa-d, Yixiao Wang MMa-d, Zhenyu Zhong MMe, Min Gao MDa-d
aDepartment of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China
bInstitute of Dermatology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China
cKey Laboratory of Dermatology (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China
dCollaborative Innovation Center of Complex and Severe Skin Disease, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China
Abstract
Introduction: JAK inhibitors are increasingly being utilized for the treatment of diseases beyond their nonclassical indications, and the
highly selective JAK1 inhibitor abrocitinib may represent a promising therapeutic option for dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB).
Case Presentation: The first case was a 39-year-old male with DEB in whom conventional therapy was ineffective. After one month of
abrocitinib treatment, marked improvement in both pruritus and skin lesions was observed, with no adverse drug reactions during six
months of therapy. The second case involved a 46-year-old female DEB patient in whom conventional therapy resulted in mild improvement of skin lesions but no significant relief of pruritus.
Conclusion: The present two cases provide comparative evidence suggesting the superior efficacy of abrocitinib relative to conventional therapies for DEB.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2026;25(4): doi:10.36849/JDD.9606
