New Insights on the Role of PD-1 in Merkel Cell Carcinoma 

Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors have been approved for treating various types of cancer, but PD-1 functions can vary between different cell and cancer types, either promoting or suppressing disease progression.  Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) responds well to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, but it unknown if MCC cells express PD-1 themselves. In addition, researchers […]

Maui Derm News: One TheraClearX Treatment Reduces Cystic and Papular Acne Lesions

Just one treatment with STRATA’s TheraClearX helps clear cystic and papular acne, according to a poster slated to be presented at the Maui Derm 2024 Meeting to be held at the Grand Wailea in Maui, Hawaii from January 22-26, 2024. TheraClearX employs photopneumatic technology to deliver intense pulsed light utilizing vacuum technology with an additional needle insert; the vacuum pulls […]

Breaking Business News: Sun Pharma to Buy Remaining Stake in Taro 

Sun Pharma is picking up all the shares in Taro Pharmaceuticals that it doesn’t already own. The two companies have entered into a definitive merger agreement in which Sun Pharma, Taro’s controlling shareholder, has agreed to acquire all of the outstanding ordinary shares of Taro other than the shares already held by Sun Pharma or […]

Validated: A New PROM to Assess Disease Control in Chronic Prurigo

Chronic prurigo (CPG), including prurigo nodularis, is difficult to treat and dramatically affects quality of life.  So, how can dermatologists best assess whether a treatment working or not? Enter the Prurigo Control Test, which has passed muster and may be the first patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) to determine disease control and guide treatment decisions in […]

DermaSensor Empowers Internists to Diagnose Skin Cancer: What Will This Mean for Derms and Patients?

The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared DermaSensor for skin cancer detection in primary care, the Company reports. Wireless and handheld, DermaSensor’s AI-powered spectroscopy technology non-invasively evaluates cellular and subcellular characteristics of a lesion, providing an immediate and objective result using an FDA-cleared algorithm.  The FDA pivotal study of more than 1,000 patients, showed […]

Practice-Changing Melanoma Research From ECOG-ACRIN Receives the 2023 Paper of the Year Distinction from the Journal of Clinical Oncology

And the 2023 Paper of the Year distinction by the Journal of Clinical Oncology goes to … a team of melanoma researchers with the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN).  The recognition is for the results of the DREAMseq randomized phase 3 clinical trial. DREAMseq (EA6134) showed an optimal treatment sequence for combination therapy in patients with advanced melanoma with […]

Label Update: FDA Green Lights Dupilumab for AD Patients With Moderate-to-Severe Hand and Foot Involvement

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated the label for dupilumab (Dupixent, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Sanofi), adding efficacy and safety data for people aged 12 years and older with atopic dermatitis (AD) and uncontrolled moderate-to-severe hand and/or foot involvement.  More than twice as many atopic dermatitis patients with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe hand and/or foot […]

Exploring Microbiome Changes in Lichen Striatus Hypopigmentation: New Insights May Mean New Treatment Options

Cutibacterium acnes significantly influences the bacterial community in hypopigmented Lichen striatus (LS), new research shows. For the study, researchers from Korea led by Associate Professor Yun Hak Kim from the Department of Anatomy and the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Professor Hyun-Chang Go from the Department of Dermatology, both at Pusan National University, analyzed skin samples of […]

TDD’s Guide to Maui Derm 2024; Stay Tuned for Daily Coverage

It’s almost Maui Derm time. Led by George Martin, MD, a dermatologist in Kihei, Maui Derm is considered a top-tier event in dermatology. Hundreds of leading dermatologists, residents, and industry insiders are heading to the island for an exciting meeting packed with practice-changing lectures, panel discussions, workshops, and late-breaking research on a wide array of […]