At a Glance
- Nemluvio (nemolizumab) shows sustained itch reduction and skin clearance in moderate‑to‑severe prurigo nodularis through 100 weeks in the OLYMPIA long‑term extension.
- Patients achieve clinically meaningful improvements in itch, number of nodules, and overall disease control with long‑term Nemluvio use.
- Quality of life improves markedly, with many patients reporting minimal or no impact of disease on daily functioning.
- The long‑term safety profile remains consistent, supporting Nemluvio as a targeted IL‑31 inhibitor for chronic prurigo nodularis.
Written By: Pharmacally Medical News Desk
Galderma announced new interim data from the OLYMPIA open-label extension (LTE) study (NCT04204616), demonstrating that Nemluvio (nemolizumab) maintains long-term disease control in patients with moderate-to-severe prurigo nodularis. The results are published in Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.
Presented at the 2026 Winter Clinical Miami conference, these results build on the largest pivotal program (OLYMPIA 1, OLYMPIA 2, and Phase 2 trials) in this neuroimmune skin disease, with follow-up up to 3 years (Week 148) in 508 evaluable patients.
Long-Term Improvements in Itch, Skin, and Quality of Life
Prurigo nodularis causes intense, chronic itch leading to thick nodules, sleep disruption, and impaired daily function. Nemluvio, the first approved monoclonal antibody targeting the IL-31 receptor alpha (to block itch-driving IL-31 signaling), showed durable benefits:
- Skin Clearance: >70% achieved clear/almost clear skin (Investigator’s Global Assessment); >85% had ≥75% healed lesions (Prurigo Activity Score).
- Itch Reduction: >85% reached clinically meaningful improvement; ~75% were itch-free or nearly itch-free.
- Quality of Life: 90% had meaningful gains; >50% scored 0-1 on Dermatology Life Quality Index (no/minimal disease impact).
The safety profile remained consistent with prior trials no new signals emerged over 3 years.
Shawn Kwatra, M.D., lead OLYMPIA investigator and Chairman of Dermatology at University of Maryland School of Medicine, noted: “Prurigo nodularis profoundly affects sleep, emotions, and function. These data confirm Nemluvio delivers sustained relief in itch, lesions, and quality of life with good tolerability.”
Strategic Context from Galderma R&D
Baldo Scassellati Sforzolini, M.D., Ph.D., Galderma’s Global Head of R&D, emphasized: “Prurigo nodularis is chronic and burdensome. OLYMPIA LTE provides the longest extension data to date from the largest pivotal program, supporting Nemluvio’s role in reducing long-term disease burden.”
About Nemluvio and Prurigo Nodularis
Developed by Chugai (marketed as Mitchga® in Japan), Galderma holds global rights outside Japan. Nemluvio is approved for prurigo nodularis in adults (U.S., EU, Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, UK) and moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (≥12 years) when topicals fail, often with topical corticosteroids/calcineurin inhibitors. Ongoing reviews expand access.
Prurigo nodularis affects 7-111/100,000 in the EU and up to 181,000 in the U.S., with itch driving sleep loss and quality-of-life declines.
These findings reinforce Nemluvio as a targeted IL-31 therapy for chronic itch diseases, with the OLYMPIA LTE poised for up to 4-year data.
References
Galderma’s Nemluvio® (nemolizumab) demonstrates long-term disease control in prurigo nodularis up to three years, 27 February 2026, https://www.galderma.com/news/galdermas-nemluvio-demonstrates-long-term-disease-control-prurigo-nodularis
A Long-term Study of Nemolizumab (CD14152) in Participants with Prurigo Nodularis (PN), ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT04204616, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04204616
Legat FJ et al, Nemolizumab in prurigo nodularis up to 100 weeks: OLYMPIA LTE interim analysis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2025 Dec 17, Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41405008, https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.70266