Leo Pharma is launching a new U.S. healthcare awareness campaign aimed at doctors to boost their understanding of a specific type of eczema.
Called “Talk to the Hand,” this campaign aims to spread awareness about chronic hand eczema (CHE), a dermatological condition characterized by itch and pain. This can cause problems with everyday tasks such as typing, getting dressed or holding a pen.
It can cause dry skin that leads to blistering and the potential for infection. There are currently no directly approved FDA drugs for the condition, though patients can use certain emollients or topical steroids. Around 4.7% of the global population has CHE, according to Leo Pharma.
The new campaign is targeting U.S. doctors and healthcare professionals with patient stories and information that dive deep into the physical symptoms, the emotional toll of the disease and how it could impact employment and leisure.
This includes a brightly made and hard-hitting website that boldly talks about these symptoms. The idea will be to boost awareness in doctors to up treatment for the condition.
Leo, a dermatology pharma specialist, in September, saw the FDA accept the filing of its investigational delgocitinib cream for CHE, which could be approved and launched in the U.S. as the first specific drug for the condition in the second half of next year. The treatment was recently approved in Europe.
“LEO Pharma is proud to launch the Talk to the Hand campaign as part of our commitment to make a fundamental difference for patients living with skin disease,” said Brian Hilberdink, executive vice president and president for North America at Leo.
“We are committed to improving the standard of care in medical dermatology and patient voice is an essential part of the equation. Our hope is that this campaign will help healthcare providers more easily recognize and diagnose CHE and provide patients with the answers they need to manage their skin condition and take back their lives.”