Papers of the Week

Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory dermatologic condition that is often incredibly itchy and imposes a debilitating burden on patient quality of life. Historically, patients have faced the hurdles of limited knowledge regarding the mechanisms underlying PN, physician awareness, and effective therapies. Many of the conventional treatments offer minimal benefit or are accompanied by adverse effects. Fortunately, over the last several years, striking advancements in the understanding of the pathogenesis contributing to PN have allowed for the development of novel treatments. The first and only medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is dupilumab, a biological agent targeting interleukins 4 and 13, that has revolutionized management for patients with moderate to severe PN. Several other drugs are on the horizon that have the potential to become widely available. This article aims to review the current and emerging therapies for prurigo nodularis, and address the challenges that may hinder effective treatment.