Real-world data shows dupilumab is the clear frontrunner for atopic eczema treatment retention. At one year, 82% of patients were still on dupilumab — compared to just 33% on ciclosporin. The findings, from the UK-Irish A-STAR registry, suggest dupilumab's strong tolerability and effectiveness keep patients on board across all age groups.
Real-world data from the UK-Irish Atopic Eczema Systemic Therapy Register (A-STAR) confirms that dupilumab keeps patients on treatment significantly longer than older systemic options. Presented at the British Association of Dermatologists 2026 Annual Meeting, the analysis covered over 1,300 treatment courses and found dupilumab outperformed methotrexate and ciclosporin on drug survival — in both adults and children.
The results are especially notable because they reflect routine clinical practice, not controlled trial conditions. Patients in the UK typically receive dupilumab only after older treatments have failed, making the high continuation rates even more impressive.
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Why it matters: Drug survival — how long patients stay on a medication — is a practical proxy for both effectiveness and tolerability. These findings give clinicians real-world evidence to support dupilumab as a preferred systemic therapy for atopic eczema, and may help shape treatment sequencing decisions in everyday practice.
