lemma health
Opzelura (ruxolitinib)
Available Online
Topical
Twice daily
Copay Card Available
Available by Prescription
As Low as $0
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  • Fast relief - reduces itching within 12 hours
  • 40-54% of patients see significant improvement after 8 weeks
  • Works much better than placebo (8-15%)
  • Very mild application site reactions (<1% of patients)
  • Long-term safety data still needed
“Hey yall. I just joined this channel and just wanted to get everyone’s opinion on no moisture treatment. I’ve had eczema my whole life, used steroids, got TSW, stopped using …”
- Patient review
“hey all! i had a routine check up today with my derm and we collectively decided it’s time to switch medications again:/ (for context im 20y/o, diagnosed as a baby, …”
- Patient review
“Making this post for anyone that needs it because I’ve been fighting a lifetime battle of eczema (22W) and a year-ish long battle with severe dyshidrotic + weeping eczema on …”
- Patient review
How well does Opzelura work?
Opzelura is below average for atopic dermatitis "JAK Inhibitors" treatments.
What is the evidence behind Opzelura?
Ruxolitinib cream provides rapid and significant itch relief, with improvements seen within 12-36 hours of first application and sustained through 8 weeks of treatment. Over 50% of patients achieved significant itch reduction by week 8.
What does the research say?
Study Summary

Ruxolitinib cream showed significant improvement in eczema symptoms compared to vehicle (placebo cream). The highest dose (1.5% twice daily) reduced eczema severity by 71.6% after 4 weeks, and patients experienced itch relief within 36 hours of starting treatment.

Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis With Ruxolitinib Cream (JAK1/JAK2 Inhibitor) or Triamcinolone Cream.
Study Type
Clinical Trial
Studied Population
Total Patients: 307
Severity: mild to moderate
Age: 18+
Results
Ruxolitinib 1.5% BID reduced eczema severity by 71.6% compared to 15.5% with vehicle
What are other patients saying?
  • Opzelura Cream is saving my skin
    Jan. 18, 2024
    This is the only topical cream that has worked for me and it’s not a steroid. I (20F) had eczema in my inner elbows as a young child and completely outgrew it by the end of elementary school. It suddenly returned with a vengeance two years ago and has spread overtime to every single body part. I have been prescribed every single steroid cream because they prescribe a stronger one each time. It just temporarily reduced the inflammation, but the rash was still there and still itchy. I have been using my Opzelura for two months and have seen a drastic change in my skin! To the point where I am 90% healed and you cannot tell that I have eczema. It eliminated the urge to itch while also reducing inflammation, which has allowed my skin to heal and for hyperpigmentation to fade. It’s not a steroid so it’s safe for my face eczema.
  • Opzelura has helped my skin a lot
    Feb. 17, 2023
    I’ve had eczema since birth, and it’s only gotten worse with age. I’m 32 now and my face and neck have been super red and flaky for the past year. After applying a small amount of opzelura to my face once a day, I’ve already noticed less flaking itching and redness. Ask your doctor if you can get it approved!
  • Opzelura for winter eczema—works amazing
    Dec. 19, 2022
    I wanted to share my experience with Opzelura because it is the first thing in my entire life that has ever worked! I get terrible eczema on the backs of my hands during the cold/dry winter weather. They get raw, red, cracked, and bleeding. The only thing that partially works is if I religiously use vaseline overnight with socks on my hands. I've tried various steroids from my dermatologist. I've been using Opzelura for a month (topical cream just on the backs of my hands). It's incredible—I barely have any dryness on my hands, and no pain. :) I hope this helps someone!
The cream is generally well-tolerated with a good safety profile. Application site reactions are infrequent (2-6% of patients) and most side effects are mild to moderate. There were no serious safety concerns even with long-term use up to 52 weeks.
What does the research say?
Study Summary

Ruxolitinib cream, when applied to the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis, shows very low levels in the blood, suggesting it mainly works locally on the skin. This means it's less likely to cause the side effects typically seen with oral JAK inhibitor medications.

Pharmacokinetics of Ruxolitinib in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis Treated With Ruxolitinib Cream: Data from Phase II and III Studies
Study Type
Clinical Trial
Studied Population
Severity: not available
Age: not available
Results
Only a small amount of the medication gets absorbed into the bloodstream
Study Summary

Ruxolitinib cream was effective in treating eczema in teenagers, with about 51% achieving clear or almost clear skin after 8 weeks compared to 14% using a placebo cream. The medication started working quickly, reducing itch from day 2, and continued to work well for up to 52 weeks with few side effects.

Efficacy, Safety, and Long-Term Disease Control of Ruxolitinib Cream Among Adolescents with Atopic Dermatitis: Pooled Results from Two Randomized Phase 3 Studies
Study Type
Clinical Trial
Studied Population
Total Patients: 245
Severity: mild to moderate
Age: 12-17 years
Results
Significantly more patients achieved clear or almost clear skin with ruxolitinib
Study Summary

Ruxolitinib cream was tested in patients with moderate to severe eczema covering at least 25% of their body. After 56 days of treatment, about 95% of patients showed significant improvement in their eczema symptoms. The cream was generally safe to use, with only a few patients experiencing treatment-related side effects.

A Maximum-Use Trial of Ruxolitinib Cream in Adolescents and Adults with Atopic Dermatitis
Study Type
Clinical Trial
Studied Population
Total Patients: 41
Severity: moderate to severe
Age: 12-65 years
Results
Almost all patients (94.6%) achieved at least 75% improvement in their eczema severity after 56 days of treatment
What are other patients saying?
  • Opzelura Cream is saving my skin
    Jan. 18, 2024
    This is the only topical cream that has worked for me and it’s not a steroid. I (20F) had eczema in my inner elbows as a young child and completely outgrew it by the end of elementary school. It suddenly returned with a vengeance two years ago and has spread overtime to every single body part. I have been prescribed every single steroid cream because they prescribe a stronger one each time. It just temporarily reduced the inflammation, but the rash was still there and still itchy. I have been using my Opzelura for two months and have seen a drastic change in my skin! To the point where I am 90% healed and you cannot tell that I have eczema. It eliminated the urge to itch while also reducing inflammation, which has allowed my skin to heal and for hyperpigmentation to fade. It’s not a steroid so it’s safe for my face eczema.
  • Opzelura Cream 15% Game Changer
    March 1, 2023
    I've been on several steroid ointments and nothing really helped. My dermatologist prescribed a non-steroid cream, Opzelra 1.5%. Within a week my hands healed to the point I had no cracks, just a little dry. She said the RX $1500 per tube but that the compounding pharmacy would be able to apply coupons if my insurance didn't cover it and that it shouldn't cost me out of pocket more than $40. Turns out it cost me nothing, $0! I now use it once a day to maintain. Hope this helps someone. Edit to change to 1.5%
  • journey
    Aug. 8, 2024
    My journey hi, i have had eczema for 5-6 ish years, ill keep this short, 2 years ago it was pretty bad (flare up picture), now im clear, it was on my face, neck, arms, legs, back, eyes, everywhere. I wanted to share some things i did that genuinely helped - cut out red40 all together - quit vaping (8 months ago) - shower filters - unscented EVERYTHING - wash new clothes - clean sheets every 3 days - OPZELURA (did a clinical trial in 2018 to get it fda approved, been using it ever since) ^ it’s my only cream that works for me, liquid gold! https://imgur.com/a/hROIqlk
The medication has very low systemic absorption when applied to the skin, meaning it mainly works locally where applied and is unlikely to cause whole-body side effects that can occur with oral JAK inhibitors.
What does the research say?
Study Summary

Ruxolitinib cream, when applied to the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis, shows very low levels in the blood, suggesting it mainly works locally on the skin. This means it's less likely to cause the side effects typically seen with oral JAK inhibitor medications.

Pharmacokinetics of Ruxolitinib in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis Treated With Ruxolitinib Cream: Data from Phase II and III Studies
Study Type
Clinical Trial
Studied Population
Severity: not available
Age: not available
Results
Only a small amount of the medication gets absorbed into the bloodstream
Study Summary

Ruxolitinib cream was tested in patients with moderate to severe eczema covering at least 25% of their body. After 56 days of treatment, about 95% of patients showed significant improvement in their eczema symptoms. The cream was generally safe to use, with only a few patients experiencing treatment-related side effects.

A Maximum-Use Trial of Ruxolitinib Cream in Adolescents and Adults with Atopic Dermatitis
Study Type
Clinical Trial
Studied Population
Total Patients: 41
Severity: moderate to severe
Age: 12-65 years
Results
Almost all patients (94.6%) achieved at least 75% improvement in their eczema severity after 56 days of treatment
What are other patients saying?
  • Opzelura (non steroid ointment) almost completely treated my eczema I’ve had since I was 2 years old.
    July 2, 2024
    I went to the dermatologist a few months ago after my eczema had flared up terribly at college. Eczema started showing on my back, knee caps, elbow caps, neck, eyes, fingers, etc. long story short the dermatologist asked me if I wanted to be prescribed a stronger steroid ointment. Of course I declined. She then brought up opzelura, a non steroid cream that has been shown to show improvement in all types of eczema. She said the only downside is that sometimes opzelura is not covered by insurance and can be very pricey. Luckily, my insurance covered it (for now) and I have been using it since. Just 3 days after using the ointment my eczema cleared up. Absolutely no visible eczema whatsoever. I don’t know what miracle is inside this non topical ointment but it worked amazingly.
  • Opzelura Success
    Sept. 26, 2023
    I had a bad flare up that started around June and I really struggled to get it under control. Tried eliminating certain foods such as eggs and grapes. My topical steroids did not help much either. I was also itchy as hell and it kept me up at night sometimes. I went to the Dermatologist and he prescribed me Opzelura and some other topical steroids. I didn’t have to pay anything for Opzelura through my insurance, but it did take a couple weeks to process through a specialized pharmacy. Anyway, after a week or so of applying it twice a day, I think the results speak for themselves. So thankful to have found something that works. You can see the pictures over at /r/eczejaks
  • Insurance companies act like they ain’t ever had eczema and it really shows
    Sept. 13, 2024
    Title pretty much, just annoying that insurance companies deny us things that have worked in the past/wont renew a prescription, but oh yea clobetasol you can have 100 tubes, lather that on no problem. Prednisone? Free, take it. Opzelura? Nononono you cannot have that again, I don’t care if your skin has been crystal clear since using it, go back to clobetasol its cheaper who cares about how thin your skin gets on it, or maybe protopic I don’t care if it burns as you are applying it. Just a rant….
Ruxolitinib cream improves quality of life and ability to work/perform daily activities. Patients using the cream showed significant improvements in work productivity and daily activity compared to vehicle (placebo) cream.
What does the research say?
Study Summary

Ruxolitinib cream, applied twice daily, quickly reduced itch in people with mild to moderate eczema. The cream started working within 12 hours and continued to improve itch symptoms over 8 weeks. The stronger version (1.5%) worked better than the weaker version (0.75%) and both worked better than the placebo cream.

Editor's Picks January 2023
Study Type
Studied Population
Total Patients: 1,200
Severity: mild to moderate
Age: adolescents and adults
Results
Ruxolitinib cream provided rapid itch relief within 12 hours and continued improvement through 8 weeks
Study Summary

Ruxolitinib cream improved itch and skin pain within 12 hours of application in people with mild-to-moderate eczema. The treatment also improved sleep and quality of life within 2 weeks, and these benefits lasted for up to 52 weeks.

Ruxolitinib Cream Monotherapy Improved Symptoms and Quality of Life in Adults and Adolescents with Mild-to-Moderate Atopic Dermatitis: Patient-Reported Outcomes from Two Phase III Studies.
Study Type
Clinical Trial
Studied Population
Total Patients: 1,208
Results
Ruxolitinib cream improved skin pain within 12 hours of application
What are other patients saying?
  • Almost completely clear-finally!
    May 14, 2024
    After over one year of a terrible eczema outbreak that went from my eyelids, lips, and face all the way down to my knees, and kept getting worse and worse, I am finally almost clear. Offering this as a few months ago in January, I literally wanted to rip my skin off. This forum was so helpful in just venting and knowing it was not just happening to me. Here’s what I did. I hope it will help others. I think the flareup was kicked off, by an extremely stressful period in my life. I did not at first realize it was eczema, especially on my face and used other products. Which aggravated it. When I finally figured it out, I went to dermatologist who prescribed various steroids. Steroids help for a while, but after a couple of weeks, I would stop and the eczema would come raging back. In November and December of last year it got much worse. It also started to look different and show up in even more places. I couldn’t sleep bc of the itching and the lack of sleep made it worse. I started feeling sick all the time, was exhausted, and completely demoralized. Instead of little patchy flakes, I was covered with welty red rashes that looked horrifying, and were itchy with no respite. Nothing seemed to work, including steroids. Some of the patches were weeping, and I felt like a monster from a movie. In late January my GP suggested seeing an allergist/immunologist who suggested bleach baths. Instead of doing the bleach bath, I used hypochlorous spray and it was nothing short of miraculous. I didn’t even need steroids anymore. It stopped the itching almost instantaneously. They also did a patch test for allergens. Which came back with five things, one of which was in my shampoo. They also prescribed Opzelura as instead of steroids. I switched to all super hypoallergenic products for everything that touches my skin - shampoo, conditioner, laundry detergent. I would spray the welts 3 to 5 times a day with a hypochlorous spray. I moisturized 2 to 3 times a day with hypoallergenic eczema moisturizer, usually cerave. I also used Opzelara typically two times a day. After two months of this, I saw a lot of improvement. But still some occasional new patches, I contacted the doctor who said to up the Opzelura to three times a day and moisturize as much as possible. Now, two more months later, I am almost entirely clear. I only use hypochlorous spray now maybe 2 to 3 times a week if I have an itchy new patch. The welts are gone. The facial eczema is finally gone. It does feel like it could potentially come back, and I’m going to continue with all of the super hypoallergenic products. I haven’t used steroids at all since I saw this new doctor. Opzelura has helped enormously, although I feel like the hypochlorous and switching products were also equally effective. While I’m a little on the edge of feeling like I could have another flareup, after one year of feeling like I am not covered with welts makes me almost tearful with joy. Offering this to this community because I was so miserable. And I know how it feels. Stick with it. The regimen and not touching anything to your body that’s not hypoallergenic kind of sucks but it does work. Some of the products are not the cheapest on the market for sure, but it is well worth it to feel like I can live in my own skin. If you can, get a patch test to identify allergens that might have developed. I asked a couple of other doctors and they said it’s pretty common to develop allergies in midlife. Your immune system starts to wear down and stress also does contribute. I also have an auto immune disorder which contributes further. Knowing this is an allergy which can be treated was also somewhat empowering. Stick with it, try different things, and know there can be some relief after a while. This forum had unbelievably great advice. I quit seeing dermatologists because I got more effective solutions from the internet. I hope this helps someone.
  • Opzelura cream + Dupixent cured my lifelong eczema
    Aug. 13, 2024
    Opzelura cream is a JAK inhibitor, and paired with Dupixent twice a month has cured my lifelong (I am 23 years old) severe eczema. Everyone should at least try this combo, or the one or the other!! It will heal you❤️ please update and let me know. I have been searching for a cure forever and I just want to share what has really cleared it up 99%•• I never thought I would get to say that!
  • Eczema from COVID?
    Oct. 11, 2023
    TL;DR - I've never had eczema before. I got COVID for the first time about 10 months ago, and since then I was diagnosed with eczema & it has only been getting worse. To be more clear, the eczema began immediately after having COVID. At first I thought it was dry skin from it being cold during the winter, but it kept expanding into new skin territory (around my lips, nostrils, eyelids, eyebrow area, and all over my neck). My dermatologist prescribed Desonide, which I have found very effective in the short term, but mostly just helpful for lowering the redness and itchiness temporarily. Over the summer, it continued spreading. I now have had a nice giant red circle on the inner side of my left elbow that doesn't go away. Then, I got two randomly shaped spots on my back (one near my right shoulder, the other in the middle right side of my back). A new pattern started to occur in the past month or two. After going on a run, every area gets worse, more red, more itchy, and it spreads even more to the point where my entire face and neck has more red blotches than my regular skin tone. It's hard to tell whether the exacerbation is triggered from the heat or sweating. I don't sweat that much in general, and it also gets worse after showering (hot water?). Anways, thanks for reading and any insight regarding my situation would be greatly appreciated! UPDATE: Opzelura saved my life!!! Ask your dermatologist
Is Opzelura Right For Me?
What is Opzelura?
Ruxolitinib (OPZELURA) is a topical cream that belongs to a class of medications called JAK (Janus kinase) inhibitors. It's applied directly to the skin to treat mild to moderate atopic dermatitis and vitiligo.
What are the requirements for taking Opzelura?
Opzelura might be right for you if:

  • You are 12 years or older

  • You have mild to moderate atopic dermatitis

  • You are not immunocompromised

  • Other topical prescription treatments don't work well for you or aren't recommended

  • You need short-term or non-continuous treatment

How does Opzelura work?
Ruxolitinib works by blocking specific proteins called JAK1 and JAK2 that are involved in inflammation and immune responses. By blocking these proteins, it helps reduce inflammation and symptoms associated with atopic dermatitis.
Is it safe for children?
Ruxolitinib is safe and effective for children 12 years and older. It has not been established as safe or effective for children younger than 12 years old.
Is it safe for elderly patients?
Clinical trials included patients 65 years and older with atopic dermatitis, and no meaningful differences in safety or effectiveness were observed compared to younger adults. For vitiligo treatment, there weren't enough older adults in the studies to determine if they respond differently from younger adults.
Is it safe during pregnancy?
There isn't enough data to determine if ruxolitinib is safe during pregnancy. Animal studies showed some adverse effects at high doses. A pregnancy registry exists to monitor outcomes in pregnant people who use this medication. The background risk of birth defects in the general population is 2-4%.
Is it safe during breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with ruxolitinib and for approximately four weeks after the last dose. Studies in animals showed the drug passes into breast milk.