New Treatment Strategies and Therapies in Pediatric Dermatologic Conditions
Source: Dermatology Times, June 2023
Treating rare or even common dermatologic conditions in pediatric patients requires expert knowledge as well as compassion. Attendees at the 2023 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference for PAs and NPs were eager to attend Adelaide Hebert’s, MD, session, “What is New in Pediatric Dermatology.” Herbert, the chief of pediatric dermatology at the McGovern School of Medicine in Texas, began her session by discussing evaluation strategies for rare pediatric dermatologic conditions, including ichthyosis and epidermolysis bullosa.
Beginning with ichthyosis, Hebert recommended the Yale School of Medicine’s ichthyosis registry, which allows providers to register patients with no cost and there is no payment required for testing. Patients, caregivers, or providers can contact the National Registry for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Disorders by emailing ichthyosisregistry@yale.edu.
For epidermolysis bullosa, Krystal Biotech recently received FDA approval of beremagene geperpavec (B-VEC; Vyjuvek) for the treatment of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB). DEB is a genetic disease with mutations in the COL7A1 gene which encodes type VII collagen, an essential protein that strengthens and stabilizes the outer and middle layers of the skin. The topical B-VEC provides skin cells with 2 COL7A1 gene copies to produce functional collagen VII proteins.