The purpose of this study is to identify how pimecrolimus cream 1% modifies the molecular and cellular changes associated with the post-lesional phase of atopic dermatitis (AD). Healthy volunteers and patients with atopic dermatitis will be studied.

Condition	Intervention	Phase
Atopic Dermatitis	Drug: Pimecrolimus Cream 1%	Phase IV

Further Study Details: 

Ages Eligible for Study:  20 Years and above,  Genders Eligible for Study:  Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Inclusion criteria for patients with atopic dermatitis:

• Outpatient at screening
• Adult male >20 years old
• Diagnosis of AD fulfilling the Hannifin and Rajka criteria
• Mild to moderate AD (Investigator Global Assessment [IGA] 2-3; localized eczema area and severity index [EASI] 1-8)
• AD affecting both arms and/or legs >10cm2 per target area
• Willing to undergo 4 mm serial punch biopsies
• Patient history of AD for at least 3 years

Inclusion criteria for healthy volunteers:

• Volunteers must be males >20 years of age
• Volunteers must be in good health, as determined by past medical history, physical examination, and vital signs

Exclusion Criteria:

Exclusion criteria for patients with atopic dermatitis:

• Concurrent diseases/conditions and history of other diseases/conditions
• Are immunocompromised or have a history of malignant disease
• Have a history of rheumatic fever, heart valve replacement, prosthetic joints or other prosthetic constituents
• Have concurrent skin disease (e.g. acne) of such severity in the study area that it could interfere with the study evaluation
• Have previously reported poor or no clinical response to topical tacrolimus ointment (Protopic®) or pimecrolimus cream (Elidel®)
• Have active skin infections
• Present with clinical conditions other than atopic dermatitis that can interfere with the study treatment
• Present with severe medical condition(s) that, in the opinion of the investigator, prohibits participation in the study
• Are maintained on emollients that contain supplementary ingredients such as urea, alpha or beta-hydroxy acids, fruit acids, vitamins A, D or E
• Have received phototherapy (e.g. UVA, UVB) or systemic therapy (e.g. immunosuppressants, cytostatics) known or suspected to have an effect on AD within 4 weeks of Visit 1 (screening)
• Have received systemic corticosteroids ([CS] e.g. oral, intravenous, intraarticular, rectal) within 4 weeks of Visit 1 (screening). Patients on a stable maintenance dose of inhaled or intranasal CS may participate
• Were treated with topical therapy, including topical calcineurin inhibitors (e.g. corticosteroids, tar) known or suspected to have an effect on AD during the current acute episode
• Were treated with antihistamines within 7 days of Visit 1
• Known serious adverse reactions or hypersensitivity to anesthetics such as lidocaine or mepivacaine
• Excluded investigational drugs/hypersensitivity
• Have received investigational drugs within 8 weeks of the first application of study drug or planned use of other investigational drugs during participation in this study
• Have known hypersensitivity to any ingredient of the pimecrolimus cream 1% or this class of study drug

Exclusion criteria for healthy volunteers:

• Erythrodermic patients, patients with Netherton’s syndrome
• Personal or family history of atopy (asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis)
• Clinically significant findings during the physical examination
• Have a history of rheumatic fever, heart valve replacement, prosthetic joints or other prosthetic constituents e.g. lens implants or hip joints
• Volunteers with known serious adverse reactions or hypersensitivity to anesthetics such as lidocaine or mepivacaine
• Participation in any clinical trial within one month prior to current trial
• History of immunocompromise
• History of positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or hepatitis C test result
• Use of corticosteroids within 4 weeks prior to baseline
• Were treated with antihistamines within 7 days of Visit 1
• Phototherapy within 4 weeks prior to baseline
• Topical therapy within 5 weeks prior to the study
• Treatment with nephrotoxic drugs within 2 weeks prior to baseline (aminoglycosides, amphotericin B, colchicine)

New York
      New York University Hospital, New York,  New York,  United States
      Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York,  New York,  United States
Virginia
      Virginia Clinical Research, Inc, Norfolk,  Virginia,  United States

Study chairs or principal investigators

Novartis Pharmaceuticals,  Study Chair,  Novartis   

Study ID Numbers:  ASM981C2436
Last Updated:  August 1, 2005
Record first received:  July 5, 2005
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:  NCT00117377
Health Authority: United States: Food and Drug Administration; France: Afssaps - French Health Products Safety Agency; Austria: Federal Ministry for Health and Women; Germany: Federal Institute for Drugs and Medicinal Devices; United Kingdom: Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on 2005-08-02