EADV Plenary: Biomarkers Will Guide Treatment Selection in Dermatology

Emma Guttman-Yassky, MD, PhD, delivered the first plenary lecture of the 2026 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress, "Biomarkers That Will Change Our Clinical Practice," on tools she expects will tell dermatologists which drug is right for which patient.

The shift will resemble what already happens in cancer care, Guttman-Yassky, chair of the Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, said in an interview with Dermatology Times, although she puts routine clinical use a few years away. Diseases such as atopic dermatitis and alopecia areata comprise many phenotypes or endotypes, she said.

"They are not one size fits all," Guttman-Yassky said. "And we will definitely need biomarkers to tell us which drug for which patient."

The congress draws about 20,000 attendees. Guttman-Yassky noted that the plenary slot is typically reserved for European speakers and is not a given for an American. "I'm very honored," she said of the invitation.

Why Atopic Dermatitis Treatment Needs Biomarkers

Guttman-Yassky pointed to dupilumab, which she described as one of the go-to therapies in atopic dermatitis. The drug clears or almost clears the skin in up to a third of patients, as measured by EASI-90 or IGA 0/1, she said. Many patients are therefore not cleared, which she said leaves considerable room for biomarkers that identify each patient's endotype and the drug best suited to it.

She and her colleagues have made progress on that front and are now working on a patent. "We are able to identify those that are nonresponders to dupilumab versus responders to dupilumab, and I think that will help us develop new treatments," she told Dermatology Times.

Biomarkers in Alopecia Areata

Beyond atopic dermatitis, Guttman-Yassky sees alopecia areata as the next major area for biomarkers. "I think alopecia areata will be a big, big place to go," she said.

The reasoning mirrors atopic dermatitis. Alopecia areata also has endotypes, and patients who have atopic conditions may be more inclined to respond to TH2-targeting agents than those who do not, according to Guttman-Yassky.

When Will Biomarkers Reach Clinical Practice?

Biomarkers are already routine in research, Guttman-Yassky said. Her lab had 3 late-breaking presentations at EADV showing how biomarkers can help explain the mechanism of action of new drugs. "But in real practice, I think we are a few years away," she said.

When the tools do arrive, Guttman-Yassky said they will help clinicians determine how patients are responding, whether to switch a patient to a different treatment, and which drug to start with. The field, she added, "is evolving in a very fast pace."

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