Eric Gray’s journey with eczema—a two-year saga—started innocently enough. On vacation in Florida with his family, he noticed a faint red spot on his hip. While the patch was itchy and slightly inflamed, he didn’t think much of it. But the irritation didn’t go away.
Diagnosing His Condition
Coincidentally, his wife was dealing with shingles at the time on the exact same spot on her body, so Gray figured he might have the same viral infection. He visited his doctor and was prescribed medication for shingles. But as the itchy rash began spreading to other areas of his body—his lower legs, back, arms, and hands—it became clear that he didn’t have the proper diagnosis.
And ruling out shingles didn’t get him any closer to an answer. One dermatologist thought the rashes were warts and wanted to burn them off. Another thought he might have a hazelnut allergy. “I avoided hazelnuts as directed, but I kept itching the whole time with no relief,” he remembers. Finally, Gray was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema and a chronic condition that causes the skin to become inflamed, dry, and itchy.
Finding Treatment
Putting a name to Gray’s condition was only half the battle; figuring out how to treat his eczema proved to be just as frustrating as diagnosing it had been. “I tried so many creams,” Gray says. “I still have a container full of probably 10 different tubes. Some of them helped temporarily, but none provided the relief I was looking for. I couldn’t sleep at night due to the constant itching, and it started to bother me at work. It was becoming very challenging.”
His symptoms bothered him during his everyday life, from his career as an electrician to hobbies like golf and going to the gym. They became so burdensome that he had to sleep with petroleum jelly and rubber gloves on his hands to keep himself from scratching throughout the night. He didn’t leave the house without skin cream or lotion to apply hourly to his inflamed areas. “I was itching so much,” Gray says. “My right hand, down into my thumb and first two fingers, was cracked and itching constantly.”
Finding Relief
After months of trial and error, Gray’s doctor asked if he’d be willing to try a new prescription topical medication called OPZELURA® (ruxolitinib) cream 1.5%, a non-steroidal cream that is FDA-approved for the short-term and non-continuous treatment of mild to moderate eczema in certain people aged 12 and over whose disease is not well controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not recommended. The use of OPZELURA along with therapeutic biologics, other JAK inhibitors, or strong immunosuppressants such as azathioprine or cyclosporine is not recommended.
OPZELURA is not for everyone. See below for IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION including boxed Warning for Serious Infections, Increased Risk of Death, Lymphoma and other Cancers, Major Cardiovascular Events and Blood Clots.
After using OPZELURA, Gray found that within a few days the itching was gone, and in a few weeks his skin began to clear. “I couldn’t believe it,” Gray says. (Please note, individual results may vary.)
Gray has been using OPZELURA twice daily as needed for over a year now. Maintenance treatment with the medicine is straightforward, requiring only a thin layer of the medication twice a day*. Looking back on his journey, Gray emphasizes that the key to overcoming his struggles with eczema was staying diligent and collaborating with his dermatologist to find a treatment option that was best for him.
“I kept trying things and finally found something that worked. It’s really helped to relieve my symptoms,” he says. “I encourage others experiencing skin issues not to give up. Do your research and ask your doctor about OPZELURA. Finding the right treatment for yourself makes all the difference.”
Eric is a paid participant in Inycte’s “Moments of Clarity” program, highlighting the authentic stories of people living with mild to moderate eczema and their journey to finding relief from their symptoms. To hear more from Eric and others who found relief with OPZELURA, visit MyMomentsofClarity.com.
*Stop using when signs and symptoms (e.g., itch, rash, and redness) of atopic dermatitis resolve. If signs and symptoms do not improve within eight weeks, patients should be re-examined by their healthcare provider.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
OPZELURA is for use on the skin only. Do not use OPZELURA in your eyes, mouth, or vagina.
OPZELURA may cause serious side effects, including:
Serious Infections: OPZELURA contains ruxolitinib. Ruxolitinib belongs to a class of medicines called Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. JAK inhibitors are medicines that affect your immune system. JAK inhibitors can lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections. Some people have had serious infections while taking JAK inhibitors by mouth, including tuberculosis (TB), and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses that can spread throughout the body. Some people have been hospitalized or died from these infections. Some people have had serious infections of their lungs while taking OPZELURA. Your healthcare provider should watch you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with OPZELURA.
OPZELURA should not be used in people with an active, serious infection, including localized infections. You should not start using OPZELURA if you have any kind of infection unless your healthcare provider tells you it is okay. You may be at a higher risk of developing shingles (herpes zoster) while using OPZELURA.
Increased risk of death due to any reason (all causes): Increased risk of death has happened in people 50 years of age and older who have at least 1 heart disease (cardiovascular) risk factor and are taking a medicine in the class of medicines called JAK inhibitors by mouth.
Cancer and immune system problems: OPZELURA may increase your risk of certain cancers by changing the way your immune system works. Lymphoma and other cancers have happened in people taking a medicine in the class of medicines called JAK inhibitors by mouth. People taking JAK inhibitors by mouth have a higher risk of certain cancers including lymphoma and lung cancer, especially if they are a current or past smoker. Some people have had skin cancers while using OPZELURA. Your healthcare provider will regularly check your skin during your treatment with OPZELURA. Limit the amount of time you spend in the sunlight. Wear protective clothing when you are in the sun and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen.
Increased risk of major cardiovascular events: Increased risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death have happened in people 50 years of age and older who have at least 1 heart disease (cardiovascular) risk factor and taking a medicine in the class of medicines called JAK inhibitors by mouth, especially in current or past smokers.
Blood clots: Blood clots in the veins of your legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT) or lungs (pulmonary embolism, PE) can happen in some people taking OPZELURA. This may be life-threatening. Blood clots in the vein of the legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT) and lungs (pulmonary embolism, PE) have happened more often in people who are 50 years of age and older and with at least 1 heart disease (cardiovascular) risk factor taking a medicine in the class of medicines called JAK inhibitors by mouth.
Low blood cell counts: OPZELURA may cause low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia), low red blood cell counts (anemia), and low white blood cell counts (neutropenia). If needed, your healthcare provider will do a blood test to check your blood cell counts during your treatment with OPZELURA and may stop your treatment if signs or symptoms of low blood cell counts happen.
Cholesterol increases: Cholesterol increase has happened in people when ruxolitinib is taken by mouth. Tell your healthcare provider if you have high cholesterol or triglycerides.
Before starting OPZELURA, tell your healthcare provider if you:
- have an infection, are being treated for one, or have had an infection that does not go away or keeps coming back
- have diabetes, chronic lung disease, HIV, or a weak immune system
- have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB
- have had shingles (herpes zoster)
- have or have had hepatitis B or C
- live, have lived in, or have traveled to certain parts of the country (such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest) where there is an increased chance for getting certain kinds of fungal infections. These infections may happen or become more severe if you use OPZELURA. Ask your healthcare provider if you do not know if you have lived in an area where these infections are common.
- think you have an infection or have symptoms of an infection such as: fever, sweating, or chills, muscle aches, cough or shortness of breath, blood in your phlegm, weight loss, warm, red, or painful skin or sores on your body, diarrhea or stomach pain, burning when you urinate or urinating more often than usual, feeling very tired
- have ever had any type of cancer, or are a current or past smoker
- have had a heart attack, other heart problems, or a stroke
- have had blood clots in the veins of your legs or lungs in the past
- have high cholesterol or triglycerides
- have or have had low white or red blood cell counts
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if OPZELURA will harm your unborn baby. There is a pregnancy exposure registry for individuals who use OPZELURA during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. If you become exposed to OPZELURA during pregnancy, you and your healthcare provider should report exposure to Incyte Corporation at 1-855-463-3463.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if OPZELURA passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with OPZELURA and for about 4 weeks after the last dose.
After starting OPZELURA:
- Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of an infection. OPZELURA can make you more likely to get infections or make worse any infections that you have.
- Get emergency help right away if you have any symptoms of a heart attack or stroke while using OPZELURA, including:
- discomfort in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back
- severe tightness, pain, pressure, or heaviness in your chest, throat, neck, or jaw
- pain or discomfort in your arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
- shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
- breaking out in a cold sweat
- nausea or vomiting
- feeling lightheaded
- weakness in one part or on one side of your body
- slurred speech
- Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any signs and symptoms of blood clots during treatment with OPZELURA, including: swelling, pain, or tenderness in one or both legs, sudden, unexplained chest or upper back pain, or shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
- Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop or have worsening of any symptoms of low blood cell counts, such as: unusual bleeding, bruising, tiredness, shortness of breath, or fever.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
The most common side effects of OPZELURA in people treated for atopic dermatitis include: common cold (nasopharyngitis), diarrhea, bronchitis, ear infection, increase in a type of white blood cell (eosinophil) count, hives, inflamed hair pores (folliculitis), swelling of the tonsils (tonsillitis), and runny nose (rhinorrhea).
The most common side effects of OPZELURA in people treated for nonsegmental vitiligo include: acne at the application site, itching at the application site, common cold (nasopharyngitis), headache, urinary tract infection, redness at the application site, and fever.
These are not all of the possible side effects of OPZELURA. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Incyte Corporation at 1-855-463-3463.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
OPZELURA is a prescription medicine used on the skin (topical) for:
- short-term and non-continuous chronic treatment of mild to moderate eczema (atopic dermatitis) in non-immunocompromised adults and children 12 years of age and older whose disease is not well controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not recommended
- the treatment of a type of vitiligo called nonsegmental vitiligo in adults and children 12 years of age and older
The use of OPZELURA along with therapeutic biologics, other JAK inhibitors, or strong immunosuppressants such as azathioprine or cyclosporine is not recommended.
It is not known if OPZELURA is safe and effective in children less than 12 years of age with atopic dermatitis or nonsegmental vitiligo.
Please see the Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning, and Medication Guide for OPZELURA.
OPZELURA, Incyte, and the Incyte logo are registered trademarks of Incyte.
© 2024, Incyte Corporation. MAT-OPZ-01931 01/24
