LEO Pharma Launches Talk to the Hand Campaign to Raise Awareness of the Impact of Chronic Hand Eczema

• Talk to the Hand aims to raise healthcare providers’ awareness of the physical symptoms and emotional impact of chronic hand eczema (CHE) — a debilitating skin condition for which there are currently no FDA-approved treatments.¹
• CHE is a chronic, debilitating disease characterized by itch and pain, which negatively impacts patients' quality of life, psychological well-being, daily lives, physical functioning and ability to work.^2,3
• Talk to the Hand highlights the challenges of diagnosing CHE, including multiple overlapping subtypes with unique immune signatures and complicated pathophysiology.^1,4 More than 50% of patients with CHE have one or more additional diagnosed subtype.⁴

MADISON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LEO Pharma Inc., a global leader in medical dermatology, has launched Talk to the Hand, a disease awareness campaign for healthcare providers that highlights the risk factors, symptoms, and physical and emotional impact of chronic hand eczema (CHE) – a debilitating skin condition for which there are currently no FDA approved treatments.¹

Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is defined as hand eczema (HE) that lasts for more than three months or relapses twice or more within a year.^5,6 CHE is a heterogeneous, fluctuating, inflammatory skin disease with key symptoms of itch and pain.⁷ Its pathophysiology is characterized by skin barrier dysfunction, skin inflammation, and skin microbiome alterations.⁷ The condition can have a high psychological, social, and occupational burden.^3,8,9 More than 50% of patients with CHE have one or more additional diagnosed subtype.⁴

“As a dermatologist, I’ve seen first-hand the impact CHE has on patients. Many patients with moderate-to-severe CHE say holding, or even just touching, everyday objects can be difficult and frustrating,” said Omar Noor, MD, FAAD, Co-Owner of Rao Dermatology. “Our hands are a part of everything we do and who we are — It is essential for healthcare providers to understand that CHE is not just atopic dermatitis of the hands. We need to recognize the unique challenges of CHE so that we can more effectively diagnose and care for those across the U.S. living with this condition.”

CHE is not an uncommon disease, with a prevalence rate of approximately 4.7%.¹⁰ However, it can negatively impact a patient’s quality of life, psychological well-being, daily life, physical functioning and ability to work.^2,3 In addition, CHE poses unique physical and psychological challenges, impacting mood and social activities for a significant majority of patients.^2,3 Approximately 79% of patients stated CHE had a negative effect on their mood, ² and 76% reported it affected their social or leisure activities.² In addition, 38% of patients feel CHE impacts their engagement in activities.²

“LEO Pharma is proud to launch the Talk to the Hand campaign as part of our commitment to make a fundamental difference for patients living with skin disease,” said Brian Hilberdink, EVP and President, Region North America, LEO Pharma. “We are committed to improving the standard of care in medical dermatology and patient voice is an essential part of the equation. Our hope is that this campaign will help healthcare providers more easily recognize and diagnose CHE and provide patients with the answers they need to manage their skin condition and take back their lives.”

The Talk to the Hand campaign highlights the impact to patients and provides illustrations that explain the impact of CHE through www.TalkCHE.com. Healthcare providers can learn more about CHE risk factors and symptoms and stay up to date on the latest CHE news to facilitate better conversations with their patients and help them access information about treatment options.

“We’re excited about LEO Pharma’s the Talk to the Hand campaign to help shed light on the unmet need for the diagnosis and care for patients living with chronic hand eczema,” said Kristin Belleson, President and CEO National Eczema Association (NEA). “We are optimistic that through continued research and heightened awareness, we will find better and faster ways to determine the root cause of CHE to improve patient outcomes.”

About chronic hand eczema

Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is defined as hand eczema (HE) that lasts for more than three months or relapses twice or more within a year.^5,6 CHE is one of the most common skin disorders of the hands with a prevalence rate of approximately 4.7%.¹⁰ In a substantial number of patients, CHE can develop into a chronic condition.¹¹ CHE is a fluctuating disorder characterized by itch and pain, and patients may experience signs such as erythema, scaling, lichenification, hyperkeratosis, vesicles, edema, and fissures on hands and wrists.⁷

Several etiologic and morphologic subtypes exist, including irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, protein contact dermatitis/contact urticaria, hyperkeratotic HE, and recurrent vesicular HE.¹²

CHE has been shown to cause psychological and functional burdens that impact patient quality of life,¹³ with approximately 70% of individuals who live with severe CHE admitting to problems in performing everyday activities, and suffering disruption in their daily life due to the condition.¹⁴ Furthermore, careers and earning potential have also been shown to be impacted by the burden of living with CHE.¹⁵

About LEO Pharma

LEO Pharma is a global company dedicated to advancing the standard of care for the benefit of people with skin conditions, their families and society. Founded in 1908 and majority owned by the LEO Foundation, LEO Pharma has devoted decades of research and development to advance the science of dermatology, and today, the company offers a wide range of therapies for all disease severities. LEO Pharma is headquartered in Denmark with a global team of 4,200 people, serving millions of patients across the world. In 2023, the company generated net sales of DKK 11.4 billion.

About the National Eczema Association

Founded in 1988, the National Eczema Association (NEA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the largest patient advocacy organization serving the over 31 million Americans who live with eczema and those who care for them. NEA provides programs and resources to elevate the diverse lived experience of eczema, and help patients and caregivers understand their disease, actively engage in their care, find strength in one another – and improve their lives. Additionally, NEA advances critical eczema research and partners with key stakeholders to ensure the patient voice is represented and valued in education, care and treatment decision-making. The eczema community is at an exciting juncture, with increased recognition of the seriousness and burden of eczema and a surge in scientific interest and development of new treatments. Bolstered by NEA’s strategic plan, Blueprint 2025, we are driving toward the ultimate vision: a world without eczema. Learn more at NationalEczema.org.

References

1. Dubin C, Del Duca E, Guttman-Yassky E. Drugs for the Treatment of Chronic Hand Eczema: Successes and Key Challenges. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2020;16:1319-1332. Erratum in: Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2021 Mar 18;17:233.
2. Ahmed A, Shah R, Papadopoulos L, Bewley A. An ethnographic study into the psychological impact and adaptive mechanisms of living with hand eczema. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2015;40(5):495-501.
3. Thyssen JP, Silverberg JI, Guttman-Yassky E. Chronic hand eczema understanding has ramifications on clinical management. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2020;34(8):e429-e430.
4. Agner T, Aalto-Korte K, Andersen KE, et al. Classification of hand eczema. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2015;29(12):2417-2422.
5. Lynde C, Guenther L, Diepgen TL, et al. Canadian hand dermatitis management guidelines. J Cutan Med Surg. 2010;14(6):267-284. Erratum in: J Cutan Med Surg. 2011 Nov-Dec;15(6):360.
6. Diepgen TL, Andersen KE, Chosidow O, et al. Guidelines for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of hand eczema. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2015;13(1):e1-e22.
7. Lee GR, Maarouf M, Hendricks AK, Lee DE, Shi VY. Current and emerging therapies for hand eczema. Dermatol Ther. 2019;32(3):e12840.
8. Thyssen JP, Schuttelaar MLA, Alfonso JH, et al. Guidelines for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of hand eczema. Contact Dermatitis. 2022;86(5):357-378.
9. Grant L, Seiding Larsen L, Burrows K, et al. Development of a Conceptual Model of Chronic Hand Eczema (CHE) Based on Qualitative Interviews with Patients and Expert Dermatologists. Adv Ther. 2020;37(2):692-706.
10. Apfelbacher C, Bewley A, Molin S, et al. Prevalence of Chronic Hand Eczema in adults: A cross-sectional multi-national study of 60,000 respondents in the general population. Presented at the 2024 European Society of Contact Dermatitis (ESCD) congress; September 04-07 2024; Dresden, Germany. Poster presentation #3
11. Bissonnette R, Diepgen TL, Elsner P, et al. Redefining treatment options in chronic hand eczema (CHE). J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2010;24 Suppl 3:1-20.
12. Thyssen JP, et al. Contact Dermatitis 2022;86:357–378; 3. Diepgen TL, et al. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 2015;13:e1–22.
13. Grant L, Seiding Larsen L, Burrows K, et al. Development of a Conceptual Model of Chronic Hand Eczema (CHE) Based on Qualitative Interviews with Patients and Expert Dermatologists. Adv Ther. 2020;37(2):692-706.
14. Cortesi PA, Scalone L, Belisari A, et al. Cost and quality of life in patients with severe chronic hand eczema refractory to standard therapy with topical potent corticosteroids. Contact Dermatitis. 2014;70(3):158-168.
15. Voorberg AN, Loman L, Schuttelaar MLA. Prevalence and Severity of Hand Eczema in the Dutch General Population: A Cross-sectional, Questionnaire Study within the Lifelines Cohort Study. Acta Derm Venereol. 2022;102:adv00626.

MAT-76985 October 2024