When Evommune went public late last year, it said data from a proof-of-concept test of one of its atopic dermatitis drug candidates would come in the first half of 2026. The results are in, with the company reporting the biologic medicine met the main trial goal, showing the potential to bring a new approach and a dosing advantage that would make it competitive against the blockbuster Sanofi product that currently dominates the treatment of this common inflammatory skin disease.
The preliminary data for the drug, EVO301, come from a placebo-controlled Phase 2a study that enrolled 70 adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema. The 12-week trial evaluated the study drug according to a scale used to measure disease severity, with a higher score indicating more severe disease.
According to preliminary results reported Tuesday, EVO301 led to statistically significant reductions in score, measured from baseline and compared to a placebo at weeks 4, 8 and 12. The study drug, administered intravenously at the start of the study and at week 4, was safe and well tolerated; there were no serious adverse events or and treatment-related discontinuations.
Evommune said full results will be presented at a future scientific conference. But based on the preliminary data, the Palo Alto, California-based company said it is continuing with plans for a Phase 2b dose-ranging study testing a subcutaneously injectable formulation of the drug.
Investors welcomed the data readout, with Evommune’s stock price opening Tuesday at $29.52, up more than 73% from Monday’s close.
Evommune’s EVO301 treats atopic dermatitis by addressing IL-18, a signaling protein that plays a role in inflammation. While Dupixent, an antibody drug from Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, blocks signaling of IL-4 and IL-13, Evommune contends neutralizing IL-18 affects more pathways that drive inflammation in atopic dermatitis. The biotech also believes this approach could apply to other chronic inflammatory disorders; a mid-stage test of EVO301 is ongoing in ulcerative colitis.
EVO301 was licensed from South Korean company AprilBio in 2024. Compared to antibodies that target IL-18, Evommune says the design of this fusion protein improves its activity while also reducing the chances of prompting an immune response. EVO301 is also long-acting, offering the potential for monthly dosing. By comparison, Dupixent is administered every two weeks for maintenance dosing.
The most advanced Evommune program is EVO756, which brings a dual approach to inflammatory disorders. The oral small molecule addresses mast cells and peripheral neurons by blocking MRGPRX2, a receptor found on both targets. More than addressing inflammation, the company believes this approach may provide rapid relief from itching. EVO756 has reached separate Phase 2b tests in the inflammatory skin disorder chronic spontaneous urticaria as well as in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Data readouts for both trials are expected later this year.
Evommune went public last November, raising $150 million in its New York Stock Exchange debut under the stock symbol “EVMN.” Most of the IPO proceeds are earmarked for plans to advance EVO756 to Phase 2/3 testing in chronic spontaneous urticaria and atopic dermatitis. The company was founded by former executives of Dermira, a skin disease-focused biotech acquired by Eli Lilly in 2020. Dermira’s lead program was an IL-13-blocking antibody that Lilly brought to the market as the atopic dermatitis drug Ebglyss. According to the Evommune IPO filing, the compound that would become EVO756 was licensed from Dermira, which is in line for milestone payments tied to the progress of the molecule.
In a note sent to investors, William Blair analyst Matt Phipps said EVO301’s results provide clear proof of concept in atopic dermatitis, bolstering an asset the bank believed had little valuation reflected in Evommune’s stock price until Tuesday. While the full data presentation will provide clarity on the drug’s potential position in the crowded atopic dermatitis market, William Blair has increased EVO301’s probability of success to 51%, up from 29%. The bank also boosted its 2035 sales estimate for the drug to $1 billion, up from $760 million.
“We believe this could still prove conservative, particularly if efficacy is demonstrated in other diseases, namely ulcerative colitis,” Phipps said.
Photo by Flickr user Oregon State University via a Creative Commons license
