Treatment Plan Expectations and Previewing the 2026 Pipeline

“The atopic dermatitis pipeline is absolutely ridiculous in the best possible way. One of the ones I'm super excited about is a STAT6 degrader, and it's an interesting oral agent that I think will change the way we think about atopic dermatitis,” said Peter Lio, MD, in an interview at the 2025 Elevate-Derm Fall Conference.

Lio, a dermatologist and clinical assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois, discussed the importance of dynamic clinical decision-making when first-choice treatments fall short. He noted that even when clinicians begin with familiar first-line approaches, patient responses often fail early, requiring ongoing reassessment. Lio compared this to a strategic opening in chess: predictable at the outset but increasingly individualized as each move unfolds.

Across the cases reviewed in his session of atopic dermatitis, urticaria, and allergies, the common theme was the need to pivot when outcomes don’t align with expectations. Treatment failure, he explained, is multifaceted—ranging from lack of efficacy to partial or waning response, or intolerance to therapy. These scenarios require clinicians to re-evaluate diagnostic assumptions and consider alternative pathways rather than persisting with a stagnant plan. Lio encouraged clinicians to maintain flexibility, incorporate patient feedback quickly, and be willing to “think outside the box” when disease trajectories deviate from typical patterns.

Looking ahead to 2026, Lio described the dermatology pipeline as both overwhelming and exciting. He is looking forward to emerging options in hidradenitis suppurativa, a condition where therapeutic progress is still lagging. With only a few treatments currently available, he sees the arrival of new agents as especially meaningful for patient care.

He also pointed out the “ridiculous” expansion of the atopic dermatitis pipeline. Among the investigational agents generating excitement is an oral STAT6 degrader, which he believes could meaningfully shift treatment paradigms by targeting a central node in type 2 inflammation. Additionally, early work on an IL-2 agonist—designed to modulate regulatory T-cell activity—marks another intriguing frontier in immune recalibration.

Lio added that expanded indications for familiar agents will give clinicians more room to maneuver, making it easier to align treatment mechanisms with the specifics of each case. Looking ahead, he described 2026 as a year that will open the door to more therapeutic options while emphasizing the ongoing need to tailor decisions to each patient’s evolving course.