Jiangsu Vcare Completes Full Patient Enrollment for Phase II Clinical Trial of VC005 Topical Gel in Mild-to-Moderate Atopic Dermatitis

　　Recently, Jiangsu Vcare Pharmatech Co., Ltd. (Jiangsu Vcare) announced the completion of full patient enrollment for its Phase II clinical trial of the self-developed, next-generation highly selective JAK1 inhibitor, VC005 topical gel, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Atopic Dermatitis (AD). This marks a significant milestone in the VC005 gel development program.

　　The ongoing study is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled Phase II clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of VC005 gel in adult with mild-to-moderate AD. It aims to assess the gel's efficacy and safety profile in this patient population. The primary efficacy endpoint is the change from baseline in the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score at Week 8 of treatment.

　　VC005 gel demonstrated excellent safety and significant efficacy in the completed Phase I clinical study . Concurrently, patient enrollment is actively underway for the Phase III clinical trial of VC005 tablets for the treatment of moderate-to-severe AD.

　　About VC005

　　VC005 is a novel, potent, highly selective second-generation JAK1 inhibitor independently developed by Jiangsu Vcare. By selectively inhibiting JAK1, the drug is under clinical development for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as atopic dermatitis, ankylosing spondylitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Compared to the currently marketed leading drug Upadacitinib, VC005 exhibits lower JAK2 inhibitory activity (based on in-vitro-kinase-assay results). This profile may potentially mitigate a series of safety concerns associated with excessive JAK2 inhibition in the clinical setting. Furthermore, synergistic efficacy exist between JAK1 and JAK3/TYK2 across multiple diseases. Therefore, while achieving high selectivity for JAK1 versus JAK2, VC005 holds the potential to deliver superior clinical efficacy compared to drugs in its class.

　　About Atopic Dermatitis (AD)

　　Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease characterized primarily by dry skin, intense pruritus (itching), and eczematous rashes, severely impacting patients' quality of life. The global AD patient population is estimated at approximately 230 million. The prevalence of adult AD in China is about 2%–8%, affecting over 70 million people. Among these patients, 67% have mild disease and 33% have moderate-to-severe disease. Frost & Sullivan (F&S) predicts the disease population will continue to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 1.7% from 2025 to 2030. Traditional therapies, such as corticosteroids, are associated with numerous adverse effects and unlikely to yield long-term advantages, making effective and stable disease control challenging. Topical JAK1 small-molecule targeted inhibitors, belonging to the class of non-corticosteroid immunosuppressants, offer the potential to preserve therapeutic efficacy while further enhancing the medication safety profile for patients with mild-to-moderate AD.