Rocatinlimab for Eczema

(ROCKET-Horizon Trial)

No longer recruiting at 269 trial locations

Overseen By Amgen Call Center

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 3

Sponsor: Amgen

Must not be taking: Biologics, Corticosteroids, Immunosuppressants, others

Disqualifiers: Biological treatment, Phototherapy, others

Pivotal Trial (Near Approval) This treatment is in the last trial phase before FDA approval

Prior Safety Data This treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 6

Duration: 24 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a new treatment called rocatinlimab for eczema, a skin condition that causes itchy and inflamed patches. The goal is to compare the effectiveness of rocatinlimab to a placebo after 24 weeks. Participants will receive either rocatinlimab or a placebo (a non-active treatment) during this period. This trial may suit adults who have had eczema for at least a year and have not found success with strong topical treatments. As a Phase 3 trial, this study represents the final step before FDA approval, offering participants the opportunity to contribute to the potential availability of a new treatment.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

Yes, you will need to stop taking certain medications before joining the trial. Specifically, you must stop systemic corticosteroids, systemic immunosuppressants, phototherapy, and Janus kinase inhibitors at least 4 weeks before starting. You also need to stop using topical treatments like corticosteroids and immunosuppressants 1 week before starting.

Is there any evidence suggesting that rocatinlimab is likely to be safe for humans?

Studies have shown that rocatinlimab is generally safe for treating eczema over a 24-week period. Research indicates that it targets a specific part of the immune system to calm overactive skin reactions. In a previous study, patients tolerated rocatinlimab well, with no major safety concerns reported. Most experienced mild to moderate side effects, similar to those usually seen with eczema treatments. This evidence suggests that rocatinlimab is generally safe for use in humans based on current research. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why do researchers think this study treatment might be promising for eczema?

Rocatinlimab is unique because it introduces a new mechanism of action for treating eczema. While most eczema treatments, like topical corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors, focus on reducing inflammation directly, Rocatinlimab targets the immune system more specifically by modulating certain pathways involved in the disease. Researchers are excited about this approach because it could offer a more targeted treatment option with potentially fewer side effects and improved long-term outcomes for patients.

What evidence suggests that rocatinlimab might be an effective treatment for eczema?

Research has shown that rocatinlimab, which participants in this trial may receive, may help treat eczema, particularly in severe cases of atopic dermatitis (AD). In earlier studies, individuals who took rocatinlimab experienced noticeable and lasting improvements compared to those who took a placebo, a substance with no active medicine. Rocatinlimab targets a specific part of the immune system involved in eczema. This treatment has effectively reduced eczema symptoms, offering hope for those with challenging cases of this skin condition. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

MD

Principal Investigator

Amgen

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) who haven't responded well to medium or stronger topical corticosteroids, or when such treatments are not advised. Participants must have a significant itch, extensive rash covering at least 10% of their body, and meet specific severity scores on AD scales.

Inclusion Criteria

vIGA-AD score ≥3

I often feel itchy, rating my itchiness at least a 4 out of 10.

At least 10% of my skin is affected by my condition.

Exclusion Criteria

I haven't used any strong skin medications or treatments in the last week.

I haven't taken steroids, immunosuppressants, had phototherapy, or used Janus kinase inhibitors recently.

I haven't taken any biological medication for the last 12 weeks or 5 half-lives, whichever is longer.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive Rocatinlimab or placebo every 4 weeks for 24 weeks with a loading dose at Week 2

24 weeks

6 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Rocatinlimab

Trial Overview The study tests Rocatinlimab's effectiveness against a placebo in improving AD symptoms by week 24. It uses two measures: the vIGA-AD scale assessing overall disease severity and the EASI score evaluating rash area and intensity.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Rocatinlimab Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Rocatinlimab Dose 1 every 4 weeks (Q4W) for 24 weeks with a loading dose at Week 2.

Group II: Placebo Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Placebo Q4W for 24 weeks with a loading dose at Week 2.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Amgen

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,508

Recruited

1,433,000+

Founded

1980

Headquarters

Thousand Oaks, USA

Known For

Human Therapeutics

Top Products

Enbrel, Prolia, Neulasta, Otezla

Robert A. Bradway

Amgen

Chief Executive Officer since 2012

MBA from Harvard Business School

Paul Burton

Amgen

Chief Medical Officer since 2023

MD from University of London, PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Imperial College London

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a phase 2b study involving 274 adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, rocatinlimab significantly reduced Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) scores compared to placebo, with reductions of up to 61.1% observed at week 16 for the highest dose.

Rocatinlimab was generally well tolerated, with common side effects including pyrexia and nasopharyngitis, but no deaths were reported, indicating a favorable safety profile for this treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An anti-OX40 antibody to treat moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2b study. Guttman-Yassky, E., Simpson, EL., Reich, K., et al.[2023]

Baricitinib, a JAK1-2 inhibitor approved for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, has a safety profile where infections are the most common side effects, primarily mild-to-moderate cases like upper respiratory infections and herpes simplex exacerbations.

The analysis included data from eight clinical trials, highlighting the need for more real-world data to better understand which patients may benefit most from baricitinib treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Infectious adverse events in patients with atopic dermatitis treated with baricitinib. Antonelli, F., Malvaso, D., Caldarola, G., et al.[2023]

In a 24-week study involving 226 adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, nemolizumab (30 mg) significantly improved skin inflammation and itching compared to placebo, showing effects as early as week 4.

The treatment was found to be safe and well-tolerated, with common side effects including nasopharyngitis and upper respiratory infections, indicating a favorable safety profile for patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Phase 2B randomized study of nemolizumab in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis and severe pruritus. Silverberg, JI., Pinter, A., Pulka, G., et al.[2020]

Abrocitinib, a JAK1-selective inhibitor, has been shown to have a manageable long-term safety profile for treating moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, based on an analysis of 2856 patients over 1614 patient-years.

While some dose-related adverse events like nausea and headache were observed, serious infections and other severe complications were relatively low, indicating that with proper patient selection, abrocitinib can be safely used for extended periods.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integrated Safety Analysis of Abrocitinib for the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis From the Phase II and Phase III Clinical Trial Program. Simpson, EL., Silverberg, JI., Nosbaum, A., et al.[2022]

In a study involving 261,855 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), the safety profile of Janus Kinase Inhibitors (JAK-Is) was assessed by comparing health outcomes to a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cohort of 5,296 patients, revealing that the incidence rates of health outcomes in the AD cohort were 13-50% lower than in the RA cohort.

The findings suggest that while the absolute risks of health outcomes in the AD population are higher than in the general population, JAK-Is may still present a safer profile for AD patients compared to those with RA, indicating a need for further validation in similar populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Characterizing real world safety profile of oral Janus kinase inhibitors among adult atopic dermatitis patients: evidence transporting from the rheumatoid arthritis population. Montez-Rath, ME., Lubwama, R., Kapphahn, K., et al.[2022]

The TREAT Registry Taskforce is launching a long-term safety study to compare the safety of dupilumab with other systemic immunomodulating therapies in children and adults with moderate-to-severe atopic eczema, focusing on the incidence of malignancies and other serious adverse events.

This study will utilize a standardized approach across multiple national registries, providing valuable safety data that can inform regulatory bodies, clinicians, and pharmaceutical companies about the long-term risks associated with these therapies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

TREatment of ATopic eczema (TREAT) Registry Taskforce: protocol for a European safety study of dupilumab and other systemic therapies in patients with atopic eczema. Bosma, AL., Spuls, PI., Garcia-Doval, I., et al.[2021]

Ruxolitinib cream 1.5% significantly improved disease severity, itching, and sleep disturbance in patients aged 12 and older with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis after 8 weeks of treatment, and continued to control symptoms for an additional 44 weeks when applied as needed.

The cream was well tolerated, with a safety profile similar to that of a placebo, and infrequent local side effects, making it a promising alternative to traditional treatments like corticosteroids for managing atopic dermatitis.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Ruxolitinib Cream 1.5%: A Review in Mild to Moderate Atopic Dermatitis. Hoy, SM.[2023]

Rocatinlimab and amlitelimab, two inhibitors targeting the OX40-OX40L pathway, showed significant efficacy in reducing atopic dermatitis symptoms in clinical trials, with rocatinlimab achieving a reduction of 48.3% to 61.1% in the EASI score compared to a placebo reduction of 15.0%.

Both treatments were found to be safe and well tolerated, with amlitelimab demonstrating a mean percentage change of 69.9% to 80.1% in EASI scores at week 16, indicating their potential as effective disease-modifying therapies for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

OX40-OX40L Inhibition for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis-Focus on Rocatinlimab and Amlitelimab. Lé, AM., Torres, T.[2023]

In a phase 2a study involving 113 adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, tezepelumab showed a numerically greater efficacy compared to placebo, with 64.7% of patients achieving a ≥50% reduction in eczema severity (EASI50) at week 12.

The safety profile of tezepelumab was comparable to placebo, with similar rates of treatment-emergent adverse events, suggesting it is a safe option for patients when combined with topical corticosteroids.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Tezepelumab, an anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin monoclonal antibody, in the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis: A randomized phase 2a clinical trial. Simpson, EL., Parnes, JR., She, D., et al.[2022]

Citations

1. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40012373/

a phase 3 program evaluating the efficacy and safety of ... This is a large phase 3 program in AD that will provide important results on how well rocatinlimab works in adults and teenagers with moderate-to-severe AD.

2. amgen.com amgen.com/newsroom/press-releases/2025/09/amgen-and-kyowa-kirin-announce-top-line-results-from-rocatinlimab-phase-3-ascend-long-term-extension-study-in-adults-with-moderate-to-severe-atopic-dermatitis

Press Releases AMGEN AND KYOWA KIRIN ANNOUNCE TOP-LINE RESULTS FROM ROCATINLIMAB PHASE 3 ASCEND LONG-TERM EXTENSION STUDY IN ADULTS WITH MODERATE TO SEVERE ...

3. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05651711

NCT05651711 | A Study Assessing Rocatinlimab (AMG ... Evaluate the efficacy of rocatinlimab compared with placebo at Week 24, assessed using Validated Investigator's Global Assessment for Atopic Dermatitis (vIGA-AD) ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11604902/

Results from a Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Phase 2b ... In adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), rocatinlimab demonstrated significant and progressive improvement in clinical measures ...

5. thelancet.com thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)02037-2/abstract

An anti-OX40 antibody to treat moderate-to-severe atopic ... We evaluated the efficacy and safety of rocatinlimab in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Methods. This multicentre, double-blind, placebo- ...

6. dermatologytimes.com dermatologytimes.com/view/rocatinlimab-maintains-safety-profile-in-24-week-ad-study

Rocatinlimab Maintains Safety Profile in 24-Week AD Study Rocatinlimab targets OX40R to rebalance T-cell activity, addressing unmet needs in atopic dermatitis treatment. · The ROCKET-Ignite trial showed ...

7. kyowakirin.com kyowakirin.com/media_center/news_releases/2022/pdf/e20221213_01.pdf

Kyowa Kirin Announces Lancet Publication of Phase 2b ... All treatment groups of patients treated with rocatinlimab achieved greater numerical improvement compared to placebo cohort at week 16 for most ...