Ebglyss Cleared Hands and Feet for 53% in Trial, Lilly Seeks Label Update

By Grace Kim

Ebglyss cleared or almost cleared hand and foot eczema in 53 percent of patients at week 16, against 27 percent on placebo. Dermatology Times reported the 16-week ADtouch trial results, presented at the 2026 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress in Vienna. Eli Lilly has already submitted the data to the FDA for a label update covering moderate-to-severe eczema concentrated on the hands and feet.

The trial enrolled 221 adults and teenagers 12 and older with moderate-to-severe eczema on their hands and feet. Every participant had failed to get enough relief from topical treatments. Half received Ebglyss (lebrikizumab-lbkz) injections every two weeks after an initial loading dose. Half received a placebo. All participants applied moisturizer to their hands and feet.

What did the ADtouch trial measure?

The trial tracked skin clearance, itch, pain, patient satisfaction and rescue medication use. The results at week 16:

• Skin: 53 percent on Ebglyss had clear or almost clear hands and feet, versus 27 percent on placebo.
• Itch: 57 percent had a meaningful drop in itch, versus 19 percent on placebo. Some saw improvement as early as week 2.
• Pain: 59 percent had a meaningful drop in pain, versus 19 percent on placebo.
• Rescue medication: 6 percent of the Ebglyss group needed it, versus 18 percent of the placebo group.

Patient-reported satisfaction followed the same pattern. Among participants unhappy with how their hands looked at the start, 77 percent of those on Ebglyss reported being satisfied or very satisfied by week 16. The placebo figure was 40 percent.

Side effects were mild or moderate. The most common were colds and upper respiratory infections. The researchers reported no new safety concerns.

Why do dermatologists care about hands and feet?

Hand and foot eczema is common and disabling. Up to 60 percent of people with atopic dermatitis have it on their hands. About 30 percent have it on their feet. Even a small affected area can disrupt daily tasks.

"For people with hand and foot atopic dermatitis, a relatively small area of affected skin can have an outsized impact on daily life," said Shawn G. Kwatra, MD, chair of dermatology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Kwatra noted that the findings show why clinicians should measure symptoms like pain and itch, not just the amount of skin affected. That point matters for future trial design. Clearance statistics alone can miss what patients actually feel.

What happens next?

Ebglyss blocks IL-13, a protein that drives eczema inflammation. The FDA has already approved it for adults and children 12 and older who weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kg), for moderate-to-severe eczema that topical prescriptions have not controlled or when those treatments are not advisable.

The new submission targets a specific label expansion for hand and foot disease. Approval is not guaranteed; the FDA has not yet decided. Until then, the drug is available under its existing indication, and patients whose hand or foot eczema resists creams should raise Ebglyss with their dermatologist.