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Conjunctivitis in adolescent patients aged 12–17 with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis treated with tralokinumab up to week 52: 
results from the phase 3 ECZTRA 6 trial

Andreas Wollenberg1,2, Marjolein de Bruin-Weller3, Jacob P. Thyssen4, Lisa A. Beck5, Eric L. Simpson6, Shinichi Imafuku7, Mark Boguniewicz8, Azra Kurbasic9, Lise Soldbro9, Natacha Strange Vest9, Petra Arlert9, Amy S. Paller10

1Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Munich, Germany; 2Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Department of Dermatology, Brussels, Belgium; 3Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands; 4Department of 
Dermatology, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; 5Department of Dermatology, Medicine and Pathology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA; 6Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA; 7Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan;  8Division of Allergy-Immunology, 

Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, USA; 9LEO Pharma, A/S, Ballerup, Denmark; 10Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago IL, USA

Objective

• To examine conjunctivitis frequency and severity in tralokinumab-treated adolescents with 
moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis

Patient characteristics

• Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were comparable across treatment groups (Table 1)

Results

• Conjunctivitis frequency in adolescents was low and similar between the tralokinumab and 
placebo arms of the phase 3 ECZTRA 6 trial 

• Conjunctivitis rates were numerically lower in adolescents compared with reported adult 
rates4, through Week 16 of the trial

• The majority of conjunctivitis events were mild, and most resolved during 
Weeks 0–16; none led to permanent discontinuation of tralokinumab

• The frequency and severity of conjunctivitis did not increase with longer-term tralokinumab 
treatment up to Week 52

Conclusions

Introduction

• Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with limited safe and effective 
treatments suitable for long-term use in adolescents with moderate-to-severe disease1,2

• Various forms of conjunctivitis are commonly present in adult patients with AD,3 and can increase with 
biological treatments targeting the type 2 inflammatory pathway4,5

• Higher frequency of conjunctivitis was observed with dupilumab (which targets 
interleukin-4 and -13) vs placebo in an adolescent AD trial2

• Tralokinumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity to interleukin-13, a key 
driver of AD pathogenesis6–8

• Here, we examine the frequency and rate of conjunctivitis in adolescents treated with tralokinumab vs 
placebo in the phase 3 ECZTRA 6 trial

Tralokinumab 300 mg Q2W

Placebo Q2W

Tralokinumab 300 mg Q2W

Tralokinumab 300 mg Q4W
Alternating with placebo

Placebo Q2W

Tralokinumab 300 mg Q2W
Optional TCS and optional home use

Initial treatmentScreening Maintenance treatment
Patients with clinical response IGA 0/1 or EASI-75

Clinical response must be achieved without rescue

Safety 

follow-up

Open-label treatment

1:1:1 

randomization

Patients who:

• Did not achieve IGA 0/1 or EASI-75 at Week 16

• Received rescue treatment between Week 2–16

• Were transferred from maintenance treatment if specific criteria were met

Washout of TCS 
and other

AD medication

Initial loading dose

1:1 randomization

16 weeks0–6 weeks 52 weeks 66 weeks

1:1 randomization

Tralokinumab 150 mg Q2W

Tralokinumab 150 mg Q2W

Tralokinumab 150 mg Q4W
Alternating with placebo

n=294

Figure 1. ECZTRA 6 trial design

Rescue treatment during initial and maintenance treatment defined as: TCI, TCS or systemic AD treatment.

AD, atopic dermatitis; EASI, Eczema Area and Severity Index; IGA, Investigator’s Global Assessment; Q2W, every 2 weeks; Q4W, every 4 weeks; TCS, topical 
corticosteroids. †Patients not achieving EASI-75 over ≥4 weeks with IGA ≥2 after IGA=0 at Week 16, or with IGA ≥3 after IGA=1 at Week 16, or who had IGA >1 at Week 
16; patients who receive rescue treatment after Week 16

Patients
Placebo (n=94)

Tralokinumab 
150 mg Q2W (n=98)

Tralokinumab 
300 mg Q2W (n=97)

Mean age, years 14.3 14.8 14.6

Age group, n (%)
12–14
15–17

49 (52.1)
45 (47.9)

37 (37.8)
61 (62.2)

45 (46.4)
52 (53.6)

Male sex, n (%) 51 (54.3) 51 (52.0) 47 (48.5)

Mean duration of AD, years (SD) 12.1 (3.5) 12.7 (3.7) 12.1 (3.7)

Severe disease (IGA=4), n (%) 43 (45.7) 44 (44.9) 48 (49.5)

Mean EASI (SD) 31.2 (14.5) 32.1 (12.9) 31.8 (13.9)

Mean SCORAD (SD) 67.4 (14.9) 67.7 (14.4) 68.3 (13.7)

Mean CDLQI (SD) 13.3 (6.0) 12.9 (6.3) 13.4 (7.3)

Mean Weekly Average Peak Pruritus NRS 
(SD)

7.5 (1.7) 7.5 (1.6) 7.8 (1.5)

AD, Atopic Dermatitis; CDLQI, Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index; EASI, Eczema Area and Severity Index; IGA, Investigator's Global Assessment; n, Number of 
subjects in analysis set; NRS, Numeric rating scale; Q2W, Every 2 weeks; SCORAD, Scoring Atopic Dermatitis; SD, standard deviation. 

Frequency & Severity of Conjunctivitis: Weeks 0–16

• By Week 16, 2 patients (2.1%; rate 10.7) in the placebo arm had conjunctivitis (AESI) vs 4 patients (4.1%; 
rate 13.6) in the tralokinumab 150 mg arm and 3 patients (3.1%; rate 10.2) in the 300 mg arm (Table 3)

• Only two conjunctivitis AESIs were reported as the preferred term ‘conjunctivitis’, both in the 
tralokinumab 150 mg arm

• Overall, 2/10 (20%) events were confirmed by an ophthalmologist

• The majority of conjunctivitis AESIs were considered mild in severity; no severe events were reported 
(Table 3)

References 
1. Weidinger S, et al. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2018;4:1; 2. Simpson EL, et al. JAMA Dermatol. 2020;156:44–56; 

3. Thyssen JP, et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017; 77: 280–86.e28; 4. Wollenberg A, et al. Br J Dermatol. 

2022;186:453–65; 5. Akinlade B, et al. Br J Dermatol. 2019;181:459-73; 6. Bieber T. Allergy. 2020;75:54–62; 7.

Tsoi LC, et al. J Invest Dermatol. 2019;139:1480–89; 8. Popovic B, et al. J Mol Biol. 2017;429:208–19

Disclosures

Andreas Wollenberg has received grants, personal fees, or nonfinancial support from AbbVie, Aileens, Almirall, Beiersdorf, Bioderma, Chugai, Galapagos, Galderma, GSK, Hans Karrer, LEO Pharma, Lilly, L’Oreal, Maruho, MedImmune, Merck, 
Novartis, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, Regeneron, Santen, and Sanofi-Aventis. Marjolein de Bruin-Weller has served as a consultant, advisory board member, and/or speaker for AbbVie, Almirall, Arena, Aslan, Galderma, Janssen, Leo Pharma, Pfizer, 
Regeneron, and Sanofi-Genzyme, and Eli Lilly and Company. Jacob P. Thyssen has attended advisory boards for Eli Lilly & Co., Almirall, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, AbbVie, LEO Pharma, Regeneron and Sanofi-Genzyme, been an 
investigator for LEO Pharma, Sanofi-Genzyme, Eli Lilly & Co., AbbVie and Pfizer, and received speaker honorarium from LEO Pharma, Pfizer, Almirall, Abbvie, Eli Lilly & Co., Regeneron and Sanofi-Genzyme. Lisa A. Beck has been a consultant for 
Allakos, Arena Pharmaceuticals, DermTech, Evelo Biosciences, Galderma, Incyte, Janssen, LEO Pharma, Merck, Numab Therapeutics, Pfizer, Rapt Therapeutics, Regeneron, Ribon Therapeutics, Sanofi/Genzyme, Sanofi-Aventis, Stealth 
BioTherapeutics, Trevi Therapeutics, Union Therapeutics and Xencor.  DMC Member: Novartis.  Investigator for Abbvie, Astra-Zeneca, DermTech, Kiniksa, Pfizer, Regeneron, and Ribon Therapeutics. Eric L. Simpson is a consultant and 
investigator for Regeneron/Sanofi, Dermira, Menlo Pharmaceuticals, Lilly, Abbvie, Genentech, Medimmune, GSK, LEO Pharma, Celgene, and Pfizer. Shinichi Imafuku is a researcher, consultant, or speaker for Abbvie, Amgen, Celgene, 
DaiichiSankyo, Eisai, KyowaKirin, Lilly, Taihoyakuhinkogyo, TanabeMitsubishi, Tsumura, Torii, Maruho, Novartis, LEO Pharma, and Janssen. Mark Boguniewicz has been a clinical study investigator for Regeneron and Incyte and served as a 
scientific adviser or consultant for Pfizer, AbbVie, Eli Lilly, LEO Pharma, Janssen, Regeneron, and Sanofi Genzyme. Azra Kurbasic, Lise Soldbro, Natacha Strange Vest, and Petra Arlert are employees of LEO Pharma A/S. Amy S. Paller has 
served as an investigator for AbbVie, Anaptysbio, Incyte, Janssen, KrystalBio, LEO Pharma, Regeneron, and UCB, received honorarium for consultancy from AbbVie, Abeona, Almirall, Anaptysbio, Arena, Azitra, BiomX, Boehringer Ingelheim, 
Castle Biosciences, Catawba, Dermira, Exicure, Forté, Kamari, LEO Pharma, Lilly, LifeMax, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi Genzyme, Seanergy, and UCB, and served on a Data Safety Monitory Board for AbbVie, Galderma, and Novan.

Acknowledgements

The ECZTRA 6 clinical trial was sponsored by LEO Pharma A/S (Ballerup, Denmark). This poster is an encore of a previous presentation at the 12th

International Symposium on Atopic Dermatitis, 17 – 19 October 2022. Editorial support from Alphabet Health (New York, NY, USA) by Juliel Espinosa, PhD and 

Meredith Whitaker, PhD was funded by LEO Pharma (USA).

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Outcomes of Conjunctivitis: Weeks 0–16

• Most outcomes (8/9) were recovered or resolved during Weeks 0–16, and none led to permanent 
tralokinumab discontinuation (Table 4)

AESI, adverse event of special interest; Q2W, once every 2 weeks.

Incidence of Conjunctivitis: Weeks 16–52

• During Weeks 16–52, 3 patients (6%; rate 11.9) had conjunctivitis (AESI) in the maintenance treatment 
phase (pooled tralokinumab arms) as did 11 patients (4.7%; rate 9.3) in the open-label treatment phase 
(Table 5)

• Of these patients, five had events that were reported as the preferred term ‘conjunctivitis’

• All conjunctivitis AESIs during Weeks 16–52 (maintenance and open-label phases) were 
mild or moderate in severity, with no severe events recorded (Table 5)

• Conjunctivitis was classified as an adverse event of special interest (AESI) prior to trial initiation

• This broad term comprised the following preferred terms: conjunctivitis, conjunctivitis allergic, 
conjunctivitis bacterial, and conjunctivitis viral

• Results were based on the safety analysis set comprised of all patients randomized and exposed to 
investigational medicinal product, excluding 9 patients from two sites with Good Clinical Practice non-
compliance (N=289)

• Rates were calculated as: 

• Number of events per patient-years of exposure x 100

Statistical analyses and endpoints

• Conjunctivitis frequency and rate were examined in adolescent patients aged 12–17 years with 
moderate-to-severe AD treated with tralokinumab for up to 52 weeks in the phase 3 ECZTRA 6 trial 
(NCT03526861) 

Table 4. Outcome of Conjunctivitis AESI (Weeks 0–16) 

Materials and Methods

Study design

• Adolescent patients were randomized 1:1:1 to subcutaneous tralokinumab 150 mg or 300 mg every 2 
weeks (Q2W), or placebo for an initial treatment period of 16 weeks

• Primary endpoints were Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) score 0/1 and ≥75% improvement from 
baseline in Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-75) at Week 16 

• Patients achieving primary endpoints without rescue treatment were re-randomized to tralokinumab 
Q2W or every 4 weeks (Q4W), at their same initial tralokinumab dosage for 36 weeks of maintenance 
treatment as shown in Figure 1, while Placebo responders continue in the Placebo Q2W

• Patients not achieving primary endpoints at Week 16, those receiving rescue treatment from Week 2 
to Week 16, and those meeting other specific criteria† were transferred to open-label treatment of 
tralokinumab 300 mg Q2W plus optional mild-to-moderate strength topical corticosteroids (TCS)

• Key secondary endpoints include change in SCORing AD (SCORAD) from baseline to Week 16,  
reduction of worst daily pruritus numeric rating scale (NRS) (weekly average) of at least 4 from baseline 
to Week 16, and change in Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) score from baseline to 
Week 16

Placebo
(n=94)

PYE 27.9

Tralokinumab 
150 mg Q2W (n=98)

PYE 29.3

Tralokinumab 
300 mg Q2W (n=97)

PYE 29.5

AESI category
Preferred term 

N (%) Events Rate N (%) Events Rate N (%) Events Rate

Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis bacterial
Conjunctivitis allergic

Conjunctivitis viral

2 (2.1)
–
–

2 (2.1)
–

3
–
–
3
–

10.7
–
–

10.7
–

4 (4.1)
2 (2.0)

–
2 (2.0)

–

4
2
–
2
–

13.6
6.8
–

6.8
–

3 (3.1)
–

1 (1.0)
2 (2.1)

–

3
–
1
2
–

10.2
–

3.4
6.8
–

Severity
Mild

Moderate
Severe

2 (2.1)
–
–

3
–
–

10.7
–
–

3 (3.1)
1 (1.0)

–

3
1
–

10.2
3.4
–

2 (2.1)
1 (1.0)

–

2
1
–

6.8
3.4
–

AESI, adverse event of special interest; PYE, patient years of exposure; Q2W, once every 2 weeks.

Placebo
(n=94)

Tralokinumab
150 mg Q2W (n=98)

Tralokinumab 
300 mg Q2W (n=97)

N (%) Rate N (%) Rate N (%) Rate

Conjunctivitis AESI
Drug related

Action taken with drug
Dose not changed

Drug interrupted

2 (2.1)
1 (1.1)

2 (2.1)
–

10.7
7.2

10.7
–

4 (4.1)
1 (1.0)

3 (3.1)
1 (1.0)

13.6
3.4

10.2
3.4

3 (3.1)
1 (1.0)

3 (3.1)
–

10.2
3.4

10.2
–

Outcome
Fatal

Not recovered/not resolved
Recovering/resolving
Recovered/resolved

–
–
–

2 (2.1)

–
–
–

10.7

–
–
–

4 (4.1)

–
–
–

13.6

–
–

1 (1.0)
2 (2.1)

–
–

3.4
6.8

Table 3. Frequency of Conjunctivitis AESI (Weeks 0–16) 

Overall Summary of AEs: Weeks 0-16

• Tralokinumab was well-tolerated and the majority of adverse events (AEs) in the tralokinumab and 
placebo arms were mild or moderate in severity (Table 2)

• No patterns were seen in types of serious AEs and none led to any safety concerns (Table 2)

• The majority of AEs had resolved within the initial 16-week period; only one AE led to treatment 
withdrawal and was not considered related to treatment* (Table 2)

Table 2. ECZTRA 6 Safety Summary (Weeks 0-16)

*Cerebrovascular accident, not considered related to treatment by the investigator or study sponsor; The patient had several risk factors for developing 
cerebrovascular accident. The event was not considered related to treatment with tralokinumab by either investigator or sponsor/LEO. The outcome was reported 
as recovered with sequelae.

†Includes the preferred terms conjunctivitis, conjunctivitis bacterial, conjunctivitis allergic and conjunctivitis viral (no cases of conjunctivitis viral were observed)

AE, adverse event; Q2W, Every 2 weeks.

Table 1. Baseline characteristics

Maintenance treatment Open-label treatment

Tralokinumab pooled total
150/300 mg Q2/4W (n=50)

PYE 25.3

Tralokinumab 
300 mg Q2W plus optional TCS (n=234)

PYE 151.1

AESI category
Preferred term 

N (%) Events Rate N (%) Events Rate

Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis bacterial
Conjunctivitis allergic

Conjunctivitis viral

3 (6.0)
1 (2.0)

–
2 (4.0)

–

3 
1
–
2 
–

11.9
4.0
–

7.9
–

11 (4.7)
4 (1.7)
3 (1.3)
4 (1.7)

–

14
6
4
4
–

9.3
4.0
2.7
2.7
–

Severity
Mild

Moderate
Severe

1 (2.0)
2 (4.0)

–

1
2
–

3.95
7.90

–

9 (3.8)
3 (1.3)

–

10
4
–

6.6
2.7
–

AESI, adverse event of special interest; PYE, patient years of exposure; Q2W, once every 2 weeks; TCS, topical corticosteroid

Table 5. Incidence of Conjunctivitis (Weeks 16–52)

Placebo
(n=94)

Tralokinumab
150 mg Q2W (n=98)

Tralokinumab 
300 mg Q2W (n=97)

Adverse events, n (%) 58 (61.7) 66 (67.3) 63 (64.9)

Serious adverse events, n (%) 5 (5.3) 3 (3.1) 1 (1.0)

Severity, n (%)
Mild

Moderate
Severe

40 (42.6)
31 (33.0)
7 (7.4)

48 (49.0)
33 (33.7)

5 (5.1)

47 (48.5)
32 (33.0)

3 (3.1)

Leading to withdrawal, n (%) 0 1 (1.0) 0

AEs of special interest, n (%)
Eye disorders
Conjunctivitis†

Eczema herpeticum
Skin infections requiring systemic 

treatment
Injection site reactions

2 (2.1)
2 (2.1)

1 (1.1)
2 (2.1)
1 (1.1)

4 (4.1)
4 (4.1)

1 (1.0)
5 (5.1)
9 (9.2)

4 (4.1)
3 (3.1)

0
2 (2.1)
7 (7.2)