Explorative Biomarker Identification for Atopic Dermatitis
Uncovering skin fluid biomarkers to pave the way for personalized eczema treatment
What if a tiny drop of skin fluid could reveal the best treatment for every eczema patient? This question drives EXPLOR-AD, a new partnership between Imcomet and Erasmus MC. By bringing together Imcomet’s innovative microneedle technology and Erasmus MC’s clinical expertise, this project explores how eczema treatment can be personalized.
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, affects 3.3% of the Dutch population, with 20–30% suffering from moderate-to-severe disease. These patients endure relentless itching, inflamed skin, and sleepless nights, often leading to anxiety and depression. Beyond personal suffering, the societal burden is enormous: across Europe, eczema costs an estimated €30 billion each year in healthcare, productivity loss, and personal expenses. Current treatments provide relief, but up to 70% of moderate-to-severe patients remain dissatisfied because their symptoms are not fully controlled. Innovation is urgently needed to improve care and reduce this burden.
In this explorative project, Imcomet’s innovative microneedle technology, needles just one millimetre long, will be used to collect tiny amounts of skin fluid from eczema biopsies. This fluid is rich in local disease signals called biomarkers, that can provide a detailed picture of inflammation in the skin. Erasmus MC brings the clinical expertise to select and analyse these samples, ensuring the findings are relevant to patients. Using advanced laboratory techniques to map proteins and immune signals, the project will validate skin fluid against blood, demonstrating its added value in unlocking more precise and personalized treatments.
The project will deliver three key outcomes: (1) proof-of-concept that this technology works, (2) a shortlist of promising candidate eczema biomarkers, and (3) a roadmap toward clinical validation. With these results, EXPLOR-AD aims to move beyond trial-and-error treatments to more effective, patient-centered care in eczema and potentially other chronic skin diseases.
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