abrocitinib at a glance
Medicine class
Selective JAK1 inhibitor
Licensed use
Moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over who are candidates for systemic therapy
Administration
Film-coated tablet swallowed whole with water, with or without food
Important safety checks
Infection, tuberculosis, cardiovascular, clotting and cancer risks are assessed before and during treatment
What is abrocitinib used for?
Licensed use:
Moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over who are candidates for systemic therapy.
It may be used alone or with medicated topical treatments following specialist assessment.
How does abrocitinib work?
Abrocitinib inhibits JAK1, an intracellular enzyme involved in inflammatory signalling. This alters immune activity involved in atopic dermatitis, helping reduce skin inflammation and itch.
abrocitinib preparations and strengths
Tablet
Route: Oral
Strengths: 50 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg
How to take abrocitinib
Follow the specialist's instructions and check the pack leaflet.
Swallow the tablet whole with water.
Do not split, crush or chew it because these methods have not been studied.
It may be taken with or without food; food may help if nausea occurs.
Do not drive or use machinery while feeling dizzy.
abrocitinib side effects
Common or expected effects
- Nausea
- Headache
- Acne
- Cold sores or other herpes simplex infection
- Shingles
- Vomiting
- Upper abdominal pain
- Dizziness
- Raised creatine phosphokinase on a blood test
Get urgent medical advice
- Serious infection, including pneumonia or opportunistic infection
- Rapidly spreading blistering or eroded rash suggesting eczema herpeticum
- Deep-vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism
- Heart attack or stroke symptoms
- Marked reductions in platelets, lymphocytes, neutrophils or haemoglobin
- New skin growths or concerning changes to existing moles
abrocitinib in pregnancy
Abrocitinib is contraindicated during pregnancy. Effective contraception is advised during treatment and for one month after the final tablet. Pregnancy planning or exposure requires prompt specialist review.
abrocitinib while breastfeeding
Abrocitinib is contraindicated during breastfeeding. There are no human milk data, and risk to a breastfed infant cannot be excluded. Discuss alternative treatment or feeding options with the specialist team.
abrocitinib interactions
A prescriber or pharmacist should review all medicines, including non-prescription products. Important examples include:
Fluvoxamine, fluconazole, fluoxetine or ticlopidine
Strong CYP2C19 inhibition can increase abrocitinib exposure, requiring clinical review.
Rifampicin, apalutamide, efavirenz, enzalutamide or phenytoin
Enzyme induction can substantially reduce abrocitinib exposure; combined use is not recommended.
Dabigatran
Abrocitinib can increase dabigatran exposure, requiring caution and clinical review.
Common questions about abrocitinib
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is abrocitinib a steroid?
No. It is a selective JAK1 inhibitor that reduces intracellular inflammatory signalling.
Can it be taken with food?
Yes. It may be taken with or without food; food may help if it causes nausea.
Can the tablets be split or crushed?
No. Swallow them whole with water because splitting, crushing and chewing have not been studied.
Can I have vaccines during treatment?
Live attenuated vaccines should be avoided during or immediately before treatment. Vaccination status, including shingles protection, should be reviewed before starting.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.