Topical Ruxolitinib Significantly Reduces Skin Lesions in Chronic GVHD Controlled Trial

Topical ruxolitinib reduces the area of skin lesions in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD), according to data published in The Lancet Haematology. Chronic GVHD occurs in roughly 50% of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients when donor immune cells attack the host's tissues. Skin involvement occurs in 40% of these cases, leading to epidermal atrophy, dermal sclerosis, and glandular destruction. Standard treatments, including topical corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors, often yield inconsistent results. A team led by Alina Markova at Cornell University tested a 1.5% ruxolitinib cream, a Janus kinase 1 and 2 (JAK&frac12) inhibitor. The study enrolled 24 patients (mean age 47.5 years) who underwent transplantation for lymphomas and acute leukemias. Baseline severity was moderate for 19 participants, light for four, and severe for one. Most patients continued systemic therapy alongside the topical treatment.