Abstract
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common eczematous skin disease with a chronic and relapsing
course. Current therapeutic options for moderate to severe AD in children and adults
are unsatisfactory. Along with the success of basic research to define pathogenesis-related
targets, novel small molecule inhibitors and biologics for the treatment of AD have
been developed.
These compounds focus on the specific reduction of pruritus, interfere with the pro-allergic
Th2-deviation of the immune system or inhibit inflammatory pathways in the skin. Based
on studies registered at ClinicalTrials.gov we present novel treatment strategies
of AD, their molecular mechanisms of action, and discuss the current status of the
clinical results. As many of the new compounds target pathogenesis-related traits
of the disease, we face a new era in the treatment and understanding of AD.
Keywords
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Biography
Dr. Knut Schäkel studied medicine at the Medical School in Hannover and Buffalo, USA, and received his MD degree in 1993. Following his clinical training in dermatology at the University of Göttingen, Dr. Schäkel studied Immunology at Institute of Immunology at the University of Dresden. Under the supervision of Professor Peter Rieber he identified and characterized the proinflammatory population of slan(6 sulfo LacNAc) dendritic cells in human blood and skin. In the year 2000 Dr. Schäkel joined the department of Dermatology in Dresden and in 2009 he accepted the professorship for Immunodermatology in Heidelberg. His research focuses on the immune function of cutaneous dendritic cells in psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, lupus and melanoma.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 23, 2013
Accepted:
November 19,
2013
Received in revised form:
November 12,
2013
Received:
September 20,
2013
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
